


Time Variance

by TsukiyoSaiai



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angry Gajeel, Angst with a Happy Ending, Caring Gajeel, Character Death, Dai Matou Enbu | Grand Magic Games Arc, Dragons, F/M, First Time Sex, Fluff, Gajevy - Freeform, Guilty Lucy, Romance, so much more
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-08-13 22:58:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7989268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsukiyoSaiai/pseuds/TsukiyoSaiai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was left staring at the torn, dirty ribbon wrapped around his wrist. The scent was faded, almost completely gone. Six months…. Six long, agonizing, fucking months since she died. </p><p>He’d never forgive Lucy; he would never forgive her for pushing them to leave. It was her fault… Natsu was already dead when he sent them out to get him. Her death was for nothing. LEVY DIED FOR NOTHING!</p><p>It was her fault Levy was gone. It was her fault his beautiful, kind-hearted mate was dead. It was Lucy’s fault Levy was out there with him; that Levy was killed while she was with child. </p><p>One instant and his entire world was gone.</p><p>The Eclipse Gate was his only hope to stop everything. Fuck Lucy’s plan; he didn’t care if the Dragons came, he cared that he made fucking sure Levy wasn’t anywhere near Lucy when the blonde begged him and Levy to go out and get Natsu. </p><p>Lucy could have her mission… but he only cared about the safety of his girl… he couldn’t lose her again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. From X794 to X791

**Author's Note:**

> Everything is also posted on Fanfiction and Tumblr.   
> FFN name is Violet Shadow Kurayami  
> Tumblr name is ShadowTsukiyo

Gajevy

Other Pairings: NaLu

Time Variance

Chapter One:

From X794 to X791

* * *

 

The sky was light, just a few hours past dawn, in the dim, slow brightening light, a couple stood. A woman wrapped in the arms of her much taller, much larger lover.

“It has been a while since it’s been this peaceful.” Honey eyes lifted to peer up at the dark haired man. “I hope it stays this way, Gajeel.” Her eyes shut, leaning into his embrace. Face heavily scarred at her cheek and forehead, arms covered in bandages.

“Levy…” He sighed. Even though he wished it, there was no chance this peace would last. “I wish it would… but you know as well as I do.” He buried his nose in her cornflower locks.

“I know…” She sighed and nuzzled into his chest. “I just wish it could be.” Levy whispered, her hand slipping to lace her fingers with his, guiding his hand to her abdomen. A small swell in her mostly flat stomach. Not enough to be visible in her torn and dirtied dress, but enough to feel.

“I wanted a safer world for em’ too, Lev.” Gajeel held her tighter. His arms and face scarred, one of the many scars that covered his face nearly taking his sight. His black hair cut short, falling just past his broad shoulders.

“We need to find Salamander. Bastard should have been back already.” The iron dragon slayer growled lightly, clutching his girl closer.

Lucy, or as he preferred, Bunny girl, had come in after she said she had been separated from Natsu. The blonde had begged him to go searching for the fire dragon slayer.

Usually he would have gone alone, but he wasn’t comfortable leaving Levy alone, especially now that he knew she was pregnant. Because she was having a dragon slayer’s kid, he was more protective and possessive of his mate.

He just wished he had known they never should have left the hide out. That day.

* * *

 

“Gajeel… Levy wouldn’t want you just sitting here…” Lucy’s voice was quiet before she squeaked in fear as her cloak was suddenly seized.

“You don’t get to fucking speak her name! She’s gone because of you.” Narrowed crimson eyes looked at her. “My mate and my child are dead because you left Salamander’s side and lost him.”

Lucy stayed quiet, chocolate eyes looking down. She hadn’t told him that she didn’t leave Natsu… that he had died. She was practically suffocating from guilt, that she sent Gajeel to get Natsu… when he was dead and it cost her, her best friend.

Swallowing hard, Lucy tried to meet the angry gaze of the large male. “Ultear found a way to fix this… since the Eclipse gate only has a bit of power… it’ll put us either right before or during the Grand Magic Games. Gajeel, we can go back and stop all of this.”

Gajeel dropped the woman, snarling slightly. He didn’t care about the fucking Dragons. He cared about Levy. Whether they were living in danger or not, as long as they were together. He’d make sure to take her away… keep her away from all of them. He blamed Lucy and himself. He should have been stronger, but she should have never pushed them to go! If she hadn’t Levy would still be alive.

“Get one thing straight. I’m not going back for you or your damn goal. I am going back to keep my Levy safe. And that means keeping her away from you.” His growl echoed in the empty room. “Dragons, no dragons. I don’t give a fuck. I just want my mate back.”

Lucy trembled a bit. She would have never been this afraid of Gajeel should Natsu or Levy been around, but with them both gone… there was no reason Gajeel shouldn’t kill her other than the Eclipse Gate.

* * *

It was the fourth day of the games that Gajeel Redfox and Lucy Heartfilia came from X794 back to X791.

With a hard scoff, Gajeel quickly left Lucy in search for Levy. He knew he’d likely not see her until the evening… at least, not able to approach her.

His large body was covered in a dark cloak, hidden in the stands, watching as his past self, or well, the him of this time, fought alongside with Natsu against Sting and Rogue. His eyes, however, were not on the battle, but on Levy.

He remembered her cheers along with the rest of the guild; Team Shadow Gear had been cheering the loudest for him. He watched as Levy squeezed PantherLily, the poor exceed on the verge of passing out as she squealed for him.

He missed that bright smile and enthusiasm. He spent the entire time just watching the range of emotions on her face, her eyes glued to him on the screen. She cheered for him, worried for him, shed tears over him in fear he had been hurt…

The version of him that belonged to this time had not known what that all meant, and he felt like a fool for it having taken him so long to notice. Yet, now he watched her and each little emotion she was offering right now screamed her feelings for him.

He had been so foolish.

* * *

 

Levy was dumbfounded by Natsu’s actions, sending Gajeel down the mine cart. Her lips parted in surprise before sending her long time guild mate a glare.

Her body stiffened slightly and she looked up, out into the stands across the way. She couldn’t see the faces, but she felt as if someone was watching her. Usually the action would be creepy and very unwanted, but the feel…. It was very familiar.

Rather than hiding, she ignored the feeling. Though occasionally her eyes would scan the crowd, trying to pinpoint where the feeling was coming from. Alas, she did not have Gajeel or Natsu’s eyesight, thus she couldn’t see that far away with accuracy.

Soon, after the battle, her attention turned to finding Gajeel. Everyone went back to the inn and pub, but she couldn’t help but try to search for him. Unfortunately, the chasm under the arena was massive and full of tunnels.

She knew she shouldn’t but with a deep breath, she carefully eased herself along the rail tracks down into one of the many tunnels in her efforts to find Gajeel.

 _“You better be okay.”_ She thought as she let gravity force her to side along the dirt and old wood of the rails, her shoes making it easier to slip down into the darkened tunnel.

Lips upturned into a smirk as crimson eyes watched her.

* * *

“Didn’t know you went lookin’ for me, Shorty.” He chuckled, a hand pushing the dull hood off him, running his fingers through his dark locks.

He grimaced slightly, they needed to be washed and he was annoyed at how short it was. He moved from his seat, following after the cornflower haired woman, even now he’d be her protector from anything that lurked in the dark.

He couldn’t help but appreciate the sight of her from a distance as she used a Solid Script: Glow to light up a path, the light illuminating around her body.

Her porcelain skin on display, only small silvery scars on her body, some of which he knew were from him during his Phantom Lord days. He knew every scar on her body, some of which she has yet to get.

The thought of his previous times, mapping her scars brought a grin to his face. In this time, she may not have known, but he enjoyed worshipping her beautiful body. Her insecurities be damned.

He loved her tiny form. Her breasts perfect, fitting in his palms; her hips, holding width that he knew were perfect for any future children; her ass, soft yet firm, perfectly rounded and one of her greatest assets; her legs, long and shaped from all her training; hands, tiny, gentle, a few calluses he’d never tell anyone about.

 _“Damn, Redfox, bad fuckin’ time to think about shit like that. You’ll fuckin’ jump her at this rate!”_ He scolded himself. Thinking about her body, how perfect and beautiful she was, was getting him excited and aching to touch her. For him it had been six months since he last felt her touch, and it was slowly driving him mad.

“Gajeel Redfox! You jerk, I have been looking… for… You’re not the same Gajeel…” Levy snapped, looking back to notice him in the shadows. His eyes stood out. Her hands on her fist, the glowing word over her shoulder, and her eyes… focused up towards him.

“Always was brilliant, Lev.” He chuckled, slowly moving into the light. She had been able to tell from his clothes, but letting her see the scars would assure her suspicions.

A weak gasp left her lips, seeing the massive scar on his face. It stretched from just under his left ear to the right side of his nose, jagged and torn. The wound had been marred with a secondary slash, a slightly cleaner one. It ran diagonally from his forehead to just millimeters from his eye. If it had been moved any closer, he would have lost the eye.

Levy’s eyes watched him as he moved closer until he was within arm’s reach. Fingers quietly reached towards him, worry filling her gaze as she lightly touched the pale scar on his tanned face. To her surprise, he leaned into the gentle touch.

“Levy…” His face turned into her palm, nuzzling the small appendage. A chuckle passing his lips as she quickly turned a bright shade of red.

She knew it was him, no matter where he was, whether he was from another time… another world… another anything, she’d know Gajeel from the bottom of her heart.

“Gajeel…” She whispered, slowly pulling her palm away, face still flushed. Her fingers moving to grip and tug at the front of her dress nervously. “What happened?”

He shook his head and just tugged her to him. He loved how red she was getting. His large arms holding her firmly to her chest, his nose buried in her hair.

Six months… six months he lived off her stale scent to stay sane… and now he was intoxicated from it.

Six months without her scent of lavender and honeysuckle with the thick overlay of paper and ink.  

Levy was embarrassed by his action, she could feel him inhaling in her scent, causing her cheeks to flush further, if possible. Unable to help herself though, she melted into his embrace.

She had always wanted Gajeel to hold her like this… like nothing in the world mattered but her. And while it wasn’t her Gajeel… she was still happy. She just wished it could have been the Gajeel she had grown to love, and not a man who knew her better than she knew him, at least from what she could tell by his actions.

“Yer here… Mavis, yer here.” He breathed as he continued to nuzzle into her hair. His arms clutching her tighter until her hands pressed on his chest, signaling he was holding her small body too tight in his relief. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, Gajeel.” She spoke quietly. It was odd calling him Gajeel when he wasn’t her Gajeel.

Slowly, he pulled away and bright honey eyes looked up at him, causing him to sigh. “I should explain. Come on.” He grunted, lifting her up into his arms.

Levy squeaked slightly, expecting to be tossed over his shoulder, but was surprised when she was cradled gently in his arms.

“The me you were lookin’ fer. He’s fine. Found somethin’ odd… gonna grab Salamander and the Girly and their group to show em. Ya won’t see em’ really till durin’ the final showdown.” His voice was deep and he moved to carry her out of the arena, pulling his hood back up.

As much as he didn’t want to, he needed to explain things to her. Should Heartfilia fail in stopping the dragons, he needed to warn Levy of certain events. Then he needed to see if the girl was doing her damn job. In the morning, Lucy and the others would be arrested and Heartfilia should be going to find them.

A slow nod was given in return to his explanation as he left, taking her to her room at the inn. Everyone was busy at the pub, excited about their one-point lead.

The large male easily took the key from Levy and opened the door, leading them into the dark hotel room.

She hadn’t known what to say, just watched him quietly until he set her on her bed. His cloak discarded onto the small table.

“I’ll explain more, but do ya mind if I grab a shower first.?” He rubbed the back of his neck. It had been a while since he had an actual shower. During the Dragon’s reign from where he was it was quick washes in cold water when they got the chance, or when his Levy was around douses with her magic.

“Yeah, course.” She mumbled. “I can see about getting you some new clothes. I know I still have some here from the new uniforms.” She explained, moving to a truck of clothing. She, Freed, and Lisanna had been chosen to design and create the new uniforms for the new team up. They needed three people who could work quick on them between the end of the Navy Battle and the battle.

They made a few of them just in case of wear and tear. Quietly she pulled the clothing out and handed it to him, a shy blush on her face. “Here.” She said lightly.

He chuckled, he hadn’t known she was part of making these uniforms. “Thanks, Lev.” He moved his hand to tilt her chin up. “Fuck, I missed you Levy.” He whispered, taking in her surprised gaze and red face.

“Isn’t… there a me where you’re from…?” She questioned.

His eyes dulled at the memory, motioning for her to take a seat again. “Where I’m from… Is about three and a half years in the future. And… You used to be there.” His voice was strained.

“Go take a shower, Gajeel. I’ll go grab us some food and beer…” She knew he sometimes needed beer to talk about certain subjects. “We have all night…and most of tomorrow.” She said lightly.

He nodded, grateful for her understanding nature. Quietly the two separated. Levy went down to get some food and him some beer, and he went into the shower.

* * *

 

In the shower his head was pressed to the tile wall, feeling the scalding water pour through his hair and down his back as he breathed in slowly. Memories of his Levy flashing behind his shut eyes, but the sweet, fresh scent of her past self filled his senses.

He thought of his Levy, of her longer hair. He never realized how much he loved the length until he saw her younger self again.

He missed the rare quiet days they’d be in some dirty, cold basement. Hiding from dragons. She’d be drape over his chest as they laid out on a sheet or his cloak. His hands would run along her back, pausing at the deep scar before running through her cornflower locks.

He remembered the near purr she’d let out when he did that, especially after they had sex. Which was regular in that world. If they were safe enough, and not too injured, they’d fall into each other for a passionate while. Proving they were alive and still with each other… and yet it was also a goodbye. That it could be their last night.

The blunette had always been his light. The day he scented her pregnancy, he didn’t allow her up. His nose had been buried in her abdomen, rough whispers in draconian to the developing fetus.

It only took her a moment to understand his actions. Tears had poured freely as she laughed between sobs. They may have been in hell, but their child was their everything.

He couldn’t stop the sobs that choke him. His child, his son and mate, they were gone. He hadn’t told her, because he wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but from the scent he got… they were having a boy.

All the pain and loss from that, six months without her… without watching her belly swell with their child… It drove him mad, only her scent in that worn down bandana had kept him sane. Some days he thinks about how far along she’d be… how swollen her belly would be with their child.

Nine months. That would be how far along she’d be. She would have been nine months before he left through the Eclipse Gate. She’d be ready to have the kid… and he could bet she’d have a large swollen belly.

He was a large man, and she was very small. He had no doubt in his mind she'd be very large during any pregnancy. And he sure as hell did not mind. Besides, he did promise to make her big.

Thoughts of his Levy, swollen with their child had him in almost a daydream like state as he washed his hair. He nearly purred at the thoughts of his mate.

“Gajeel? I'm back.” Levy, the younger Levy, knocked on the door to let him know she was back with beer and food.

He nearly jumped at the sudden sound, he was just so far gone in thinking about her future self. With a heavy sigh, he left the shower and got dried off and dressed. His body a bit more defined with muscle and with his ability to eat metal he was far from starving, so the shirt was a bit tight.

“Thanks, Shorty.” Hearing him use that name made her shoulders sat in relief. She loved that he used her name and called her Lev, but she grew attached to Shorty and Shrimp… not that she'd ever tell him.

* * *

Quietly they started eating. Nothing special, just some burgers and fries. Beer for him, juice for her.

She was patient; she'd let him decide when to start his tale of what happened… why he was here.

“Fuck, this is harder than I thought.” His hands moved through his hair.

“Just breathe and take your time. I'm not going to rush you and you don't need to tell me everything.” She spoke quietly. Her hand moving into his instantly calmed him.

With several more minutes and a few deep breaths, “Dragons.”

She was started with how sudden he started.

“Dragons came out of this thing called the Eclipse Gate.” He growled remembering. “Thousands of em' attacking people. Though, Metalicana, Igneel, and Grandeeney didn't fuckin' show.” He snarled.

“They destroyed everythin': Buildings, people, _lives_.” He paused in thought. “The Guilds all tried bandin' together to keep people safe. We lost a lot of people, Lev. Gray, Juvia, Elfman… lot of our Guild.”

“We jus tried survivin', ya know? You, Lil, and I went off. Salamander and Heartfilia went off. Wendy was with the hag… we all did what we had to… but three years after it…”

Her hand took his, squeezing it in silent support.

“Ya became my mate… a year after Lily was gone.” He hated that Pantherlily was caught by one of the Dragons.

“You were dyin' and I couldn't do a damn thing… until Wendy found us and saved yer life. Had a nasty scar, but ya were alive. We rejoined Fairy Tail at some abandoned underground area Wendy lead us too. It was tough…”

* * *

_“Food’s pretty low.” Erza sighed lightly. Her hand moving to her missing arm. Even after it had been healed by Wendy, she still felt phantom pains._

_“Salamander and I will go out and try to get some.” Gajeel grunted slightly, looking to Levy. Maybe he was selfish, but right now he didn’t care if they all had food. Just Levy and Wendy mattered._

_Wendy was curled up in Levy's lap, the poor girl had lost Carla and was a mess. Levy and he had both been that bad when Lily died._

_“Gaj…” He didn’t need her to tell him. He knelt down to press a kiss to her lips then to Wendy's head._

_“I'll be back. I promise Lev, Wendy. You both take care of each other, okay?” His strong hand tilted Wendy’s chin up so her tearful eyes met his firm crimson gaze._

_“Okay… you better come back.” Wendy whimpered._

_“Or we will hunt you down.” Levy said sharply, making him smirk. She had grown so damn much since the Dragons came. She wouldn't let it break her._

_“Got it, Shrimp.” His nickname made her smack his shoulder, but he could hear the soft laughter mixed in with the dogs from Wendy._

_“Come home safe, Gaj. I need you. Wendy and I both need you.” Levy whispered as she leaned in to kiss him once more._

_While there were troubles, there was still hope._

_It had been months later that Wendy confronted the couple, “I'm going with Erza, Laxus, and Lisanna to find more survivors. There's a rumor that Jellal, Ultear, Meardy are near, and that they find Mira and Happy.” Wendy was firm, looking Gajeel in the eye._

_He was so proud of her. He and Levy both were proud. Wendy had basically been adopted by them, so they were proud of her as parents._

_It was a week later that Happy joined them. They were safe, but it was too dangerous for humans to cross to get back._

_Hope came in many different forms._

_Levy was sleeping when Gajeel noticed the tang in his mate’s scent. His body inching down hers until his nose was buried in his abdomen. A slow inhale was all it took. Arms tightened around her and soft mumbling filled the air._

_“Gajeel?” She whispered in confusion, trying to sit up. His large hands pushed her back down, making her stay still._

_“Sia suorra. Sia rumag ui mrith vrak.” His voice purred happily._

_“Mmm…” She hummed in confusion before blinking as sleep left her. She noticed how he was holding her and nuzzling her belly. Tears flooded her eyes at the thought._

_“We’re having a baby.” She sobbed, soft bits of laughter escaping her. Any fear for tomorrow was gone. Nothing mattered but them._

_His crimson gaze met honey, taking a breath he repeated his earlier mumble in Fiorian. “My baby. My mate is with child.” His voice wavered with unshed tears of happiness._

_But… it wasn’t meant to be._

_Wendy never came home, it was too dangerous for them to travel to her and too dangerous to have her come to them._

_Lucy came back three days ago, and she was eerily silent until she suddenly turned to Gajeel and pleaded with him to get Natsu back home._

_Gajeel frowned, as much as Natsu was his friend, he wasn't ready to leave Levy alone. Especially not with the developing child in her womb. She was three months and starting to show, but only Lucy knew of the pregnancy outside the couple and Natsu._

_“Gaj, maybe we should go.” Levy was quiet, looking at her mate. She watched Lucy beg him, and neither could take the heart breaking pleas._

_“… Fuck, fine Lev. Grab a bag and some rations. Needed to go out and scavenge anyways.” He growled._

_The two left that afternoon. Camping in a basement of some building… and at dawn the couple was outside, starting to continue their journey to find Natsu._

_Neither knew what hit them after their talk. The ground rumbled and he hid her in some ruins. A massive Dragon attacked._

_It was obvious Gajeel was out matched. He was smacked through a building, chest ripped open from the talons on that thing. His head hitting the stone so hard it didn't matter that most of him had been metal. Everything was blurry._

_“..JEEL!.....GA….EL!” He could see her running, well a blur of her colors. “SO….ID…PT: GU...ARD!!” He felt arms pulling him up. Before he could push her away and tell her to run it was too late._

_The swift strike ripped through the barrier created by the solid script magic. Both were thrown, but it was the small female who took the brunt of the hit._

_Fear and adrenalin over took his pain. Vision clear and feet running to the fallen female. He couldn't even hear his own screaming of her name._

_Blood from her head, broken bones, limp body, and shallow breathing. The hit… the force of the hit broke her body… literally broke her body._

_“Pathetic… not even with killing.” The loud growl was ignored. The attack to his mate broke the male far more than any physical attack could._

_“Ga…el..” Blood bubbled and foamed past her lips. He knew there was no coming back._

_“No, no, no. Don't you dare, baby. You keep those beautiful eyes open, damnit!” He yelled at her._

_“So..ry.. I…ve..You.” She choked on ever word, trying her hardest to keep her eyes open. Every breath hurt. Every single beat of her heart hurt._

_“Please, you promised to stay by my side, Lev! I need you.” Tears flowed and for once he didn't care. “Levy, wake up! Open those eyes. Open those beautiful eyes, Lev… LEVY!” His sorrowful scream sounded like a pained roar._

* * *

“Found Salamander. He had been dead too. I lost her… you. I lost my Levy for nothing. Lost everything, for nothing… and I'll never forgive Heartfilia for that.”

Levy didn't know what to say. Her hand left his arm, her entire body stood up and she tightly embraced him. And suddenly, everything came crashing back down.

Arms pulled her tightly to him, choked sobs muffled against her shoulder.

Like she wanted it to be her Gajeel and not him…. He wanted his Levy and not her. She felt each painful tremor of his body with every sob.

Her fingers gently combed through his hair, holding him tightly. Tears fell from her eyes at his pain. She never wanted him to hurt… never wanted him to be alone.

This wasn’t Kurogane that hurt her and it wasn’t Gajeel of Fairy Tail that saved her. It was Gajeel Redfox, a man who lost everything and was trying to find some way to get it back. He was Gajeel Redfox who wasn’t sure where he stood anymore, he was just lost.

Her arms tightened around him. “I’m here… I promise… I’ll do everything within my power to keep that from happening, Gajeel. I’ll do everything I can to keep you from being alone.” She whispered, stroking his arm as he slowly calmed down.

Years of pain and anger and months of depression and sorrow weighed heavily on him. But those words; those soft whispers from Levy… cured it all.

“Don’t let us go. If the dragons aren’t stopped. Do not let us go after Salamander.” He breathed out.

“I promise. I won’t let either of us go.” She stroked his hair, feeling his shoulders sag in relief.

“Thank you.” He whispered. His arms held her to him before he slowly pulled away. His gaze clashing with warm honey making him smirk. “M’ okay, Lev.”

“Liar.” The word shook him, and it make his smirk broaden. His Levy always said that. She always knew.

“Fuck, yer getting more and more like er.” He sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead which made her freeze and turn red.

“Well, almost.” He chuckled at her redness which made her pout. “Ya need ta sleep, Shorty.”

“Soon. Promise, Gajeel. I still need a shower and to change.” Lips turned in a warm smile. “I think you need it more. Take the bed, kay?”

His gentle gaze turned to a scowl. “I’m not takin’ the bed from ya. We can fuckin; share. Yer my mate, whether or not you specifically are.” He growled lightly.

He watched her turn red down to her neck, it was such a pleasant sight.

“O-okay. J-just go lay down. I’ll join you after a shower.” She said shyly. She wasn’t used to such direct attention from a man.

“Fine. ‘urry up.” He scoffed and moved into the bed.

There he was. There was her Gajeel peeking through. Still impatient.

* * *

By the time the blunette came out of the shower clad in shorts and a loose T-shirt, Gajeel was asleep. Snoring as he laid on the inn bed. She was quietly towel drying her hair before using a bit of magic to finish drying it.

Quietly she climbed into the bed, her cheeks turning red. It took him less than a moment in his sleep to seize her body in his grasp. Curling himself around her as his hands went to her abdomen.

Despite everything, his loss. His body still desired his pregnant mate. Her older self. She wasn’t jealous or angry at this, she just was sad.

Slowly, she let herself fall asleep. Maybe for one night, she could take away any nightmare he had… any sorrows that plagued him.

The older version of Gajeel, and the petite Levy slept in till early afternoon.

Usually he was an early riser, and honestly, he had woken up, but seeing her in his arms, curled up to his chest form moving in her sleep… he didn’t want to pull away.

He just brushed his fingers through her messy curls. He wanted nothing more than to lavish her in kisses and touch… but this Levy, she was still innocent to his touch.

Levy hadn’t been a virgin when they first had sex. That was something that had both surprised him and slightly disappointed him. Then again, it had also been a good thing. His rather large size and the piercings could have been a bit more painful than just losing her virginity.  

It had surprised her that he had been one. Yet, it made it that much more special to them. He never wanted to feel the touch of another woman. She had wished that she could have given him hers as well.

* * *

_“I love you… I love you so much, Gajeel.” Levy gasped between kisses._

_The two of them were locked in some basement, dragons rampaging outside over territory. The two had already confessed their love for each other._

_“Fuck, I need you, Lev.” He grunted. The man pulled her tight to him, hips clashing together, and neither could hold the moans in._

_Levy had bit her lip after their lips parted during the moan. “I’m… not a virgin, Gajeel…” She mumbled, almost ashamed of the fact._

_He thought she was joking at first, but noticed how serious she looked. “I don’t care, Levy. Sure, fuck… I wish I was yer first. But hell. I jus care that yer mine now.” He pulled her down and kissed her roughly.  “Sides, yer my first. That’s all that matters too.”_

_His confession made her blush, but it made her smile brightly. “I love you.” She whispered against his lips._

_“Love ya too, Shrimp.” He chuckled and groaned as she grinded her pelvis down into his. Feeling the bulge in his pants against her crotch._

_She didn’t know if she could wait. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t want him… that her body didn’t ache at the idea of him being inside her._

_His hands slid up her thighs to her hips, squeezing them before he gripped her dress, pulling it up over her head. His eyes looked at her exposed skin, and strapless bra. His face turned a deep shade of red, making Levy giggle._

_She hadn’t expected him to react like this, but she didn’t mind. It was cute…_

_“Relax.” She crooned, leaning down to kiss his neck. She may not have been as experienced as some women, but she did learn a few things._

_Her hands slowly slid down his chest, lifting the fabric up, letting her thumbs brush along his chest slowly until she pulled it up over his head, tossing the shirt aside. Her lips moved back to his neck, kissing slowly, occasionally nibbling and sucking on his pulse._

_She heard his breathing become harder, felt the erratic beating of his heart as her hands slowly moved over his chest. “Lev…” He groaned._

_Her soft kisses and gentle touches were driving him insane. His cock was strained against the confines of his pants and boxers._

_She smiled and pulled back, her hands drifting down his chest to the hem of his pants, slowly unbuttoning them. Her left hand brushing the piercings that lined the left side of the V outline along his hips towards his shaft. Four studs on each side, and they never looked better._

_Her fingers quietly and slowly dragged down his zipper, making him growl. He wanted her to hurry up. He was growing impatient at her teasing._

_She giggled and tugged at his pants, his hips lifting off the ground so she would pull them to his thighs._

_“Stop teasing, woman!” He couldn’t help but gasp out._

_She just grinned up at him as her hand caressed upward from the base of his shaft, trailing over the few Frenum piercings, or a Jacob’s latter, that trailed up the shaft having five on each side. And through the head was a Prince Albert._

_Her cheeks flushed slightly, “I had always wondered…” She mumbled lightly as she carefully moved to straddle his lap after she slipped out of the rest of her clothes._

_“Bout wha?” His eyes were dark, the slit in his eyes almost none existent as they looked at her… a predatory gaze._

_“If you were pierced here too. Girls at the Guild used to bet on if you did and what kind.” She mumbled, cheeks red._

_A cocky grin made his way to his face as he looked at his little fairy, her naked body straddling his. “Oh really?” His hand moved to touch her cheek._

_She turned her head to nuzzle his callused palm. “Mhm, seems I won.” She smiled. “I had a feeling you’d have more than just a Prince Albert.” She teased lightly before both she shifted her hips forward, enough to brush her damp slit against his shaft._

_The movement caused both parties to gasp. Gajeel dropped his hand to her hip; his face turned red at the surge of pleasure. He wasn’t used to giving up control like this._

_“Relax Gajeel.” Levy’s voice soothed him. “I’m not taking all the control. Promise. I’m just getting us started.” She leaned down to press a kiss to his lips._

_“M’ not…”_

_“You’re tense. Just relax and breathe. This may not be my first time, but there is a lot of firsts here to be had.” She crooned lightly._

_He grunted and slowly relaxed. He liked the idea of being the first for her in some aspects._

_She smiled, her knees on either side of him, pushing herself up so she could hover above his erect cock. Biting her lip as she inwardly cursed her short stature. She was short, and because of this she wasn’t able to sit up too much taller than his cock with her knees spread apart._

_Her slit was hot and wet, and not even an inch from his cock, causing Gajeel to groan in anticipation. She was such a fucking tease! Whether she knew it or not._

_She bit her lip harder, slowly lowering herself onto his cock, precum already spilling down his length as her fingers carefully grasped his shaft to help guide him inside her. Gasping as the cool metal of his Prince Albert piercing touched her heated flesh._

_His left hand moved to her hip, gripping her tightly as his other hand was still in her grasp. His eyes couldn’t help but admire the sight of her slowly lowering herself onto his cock, taking it in slowly. He grunted at the feel of her tightness, her walls slick and warm, but oh so tight._

_“A-ah... Gaje..el…” Her words came out broken between moans as she finally was able to get his entire shaft inside her. She felt so full, the ring and other piercings pressing against her inner walls._

_“Fuck, Lev! Yer so fuckin’ tight.” He honestly wasn’t sure he believed her in not being a virgin, despite her lack of hymen._

_“I’m… gonna move, Gajeel…” Her breath came out in short pants as she released his hand and moved to place a hand against his thigh to brace herself. Slowly she began moving, her hips lifting up to drop down and take all of his cock again._

_He loved the moans and pants that spilled from her lips, his body leaning up, hands reaching around. One grasping her hip, the other firm on her nicely shaped ass as he began slowly thrusting up to meet her movements. Grunts and groans passing his clenched teeth._

_She felt so damn good. Each movement was dragging him to a quick end. Her hips occasionally rolling, trying to bring herself to her own climax as well as his._

_His eyes lowered to take in her form, their movements still slow and steady to drag out the pleasure. Any faster and he may have cum._

_His hand moved down her stomach after leaving her hip, his thumb sweeping against her clit which rewarded him with a soft cry in surprise and pleasure._

_He loved her noises. Each moan, each pant, each cry, and each fucking squeak that came out of her was so fuckin’ beautiful. Watching her head toss back as her hair stuck to her shoulders, face, and likely her back…_

_“H-harder… t-think you can fuck me harder, Gaj...?” She questioned weakly. Her mind was fuzzy with pleasure. Her eyes were dark with lust and need._

_“I’ll fucking give you harder. Shorty.” He growled. His hand on her ass began guiding her to bounce at a slight angle, her hips moving with his guidance as he began thrusting up harder into her. The ring piercing hitting spots she didn’t even know she had._

_He would have typically been worried about hurting her, but since the Dragons escaped the Eclipse Gate, his little mage had grown much tougher. If she could handle living in a land where Dragons ruled… he knew she’d tell him to stop if he was too rough._

_Levy’s head tossed back as she moved with his thrusts, her hips rolling against his every now and then. The girl was so close from the rough thrusts into her and the constant swiping of her clit._

_Gajeel was doing his best to try to make her cum first, but he couldn’t stop himself. Several more thrusts, and he felt himself cum. A growl tearing from his throat as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her tightly to him._

_It seemed his own climax triggered hers, as she bit into his shoulder when he came inside her. Her strangled cry muffled against his sin as he felt her walls tighten and spasm around his cock._

_“Shit, Levy…” He growled and buried his face in her hair, feeling her hips weakly rock against him, working off the last of her climax. His large hands moving to hold her small body as he collapsed back onto the floor from his sitting position, dragging her with him._

_The mixture of their panting for breath and the thick musk of sex in the room left the two utterly content; they were in their own little world and the world outside, the war outside, did not matter at the moment._

* * *

“Time to wake up, Levy.” He whispered after being pulled from his memories. His lips brushed her forehead. He knew he was acting different… softer.

He knew he could be his brash self, but after months of toeing the line of insanity, self-hate, and contemplating suicide to be with his mate… he couldn’t help but be weak with her.

He knew what it was to lose everything. And he never wanted that to happen again. He’d show her the affection and love she deserved… but tonight he needed to see Heartfilia.

He wanted nothing to do with the woman, and while he doubted she’d succeed in her plot to stop the Dragons, he’s at least make an effort. Without the Dragons, Levy wouldn’t die. She knew not to go after Natsu, not to let him go after Natsu with her… if the Dragons came through.

“Do I have to?” Her voice was small, whining at him. It couldn’t make him smile more, she was always a baby about getting up, even in a world of Dragons and death.

“Yes, Lev, ya do. I wanna spend time with ya before I have to go after Heartfilia.” He growled the name.

“You really hate her now, don’t you?” Her voice was still small, only half buried in her pillow as she peeked at him.

“I don’t hate her… But I’ll never forgive her. Yer older self, she was mine. Our baby was mine. I lost ‘em both because of her. So, I may not hate her… but I sure as hell don’t love or even like her.” He tried to explain.

His Levy died for nothing. She and their child died for a corpse, and he couldn’t let that go.

“I understand…” She whispered. As much as she loved Lucy, if the girl had caused her to lose someone that important to her… she'd probably never forgive the blonde either.

* * *

 


	2. Time Once Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized I have been updating these on my Tumblr and Fanfiction, but not on here....  
> SORRY!

Gajevy

Other Pairings: NaLu

Time Variance

Chapter Two:

Time Once Lost

* * *

 

Levy dragged herself from the bed, her hair a mess, her hands groping out against the wall as she headed towards the bathroom. The older version of Gajeel let out a bark like laugh as the tiny female whined before closing the door.

“I don’t wanna get uppppp~!” She complained before he heard the sink turning on so she could brush her teeth.

This was the Levy he never really got to see. They lived in a warzone, so moments when they could sleep in and whine about waking up were few to none. He couldn’t stop the smirk that played on his lips as he watched her.

Poor girl was too sleepy to really notice that his eyes hadn’t left her form from the moment he woke her up.

He never got to see her like this, so he’d absorb every moment… every beautiful moment of her half asleep, in disarray.

“If I have to get out of bed, you better be out of it too!” She snapped from the bathroom, peeking her head out. Golden eyes flashing at him as she had her toothbrush hanging out of the side of her mouth, the white forth from the paste decorating her lips.

Okay, maybe she was much more aware than he thought.

He couldn’t stop the deep laughter that escaped him as she stood there confused. He got out of the bed, moving over to her.

As his laughter subsided, he tilted her chin up, ignoring the white froth as he plucked the toothbrush from her lips. “You have no idea how beautiful you are.”

Her cheeks flushed and she quickly moved to wipe the frothy toothpaste away, her eyes looking away.

“I-I’m all messy and sleepy…and… and…” She couldn’t stop stuttering.

“All the third most beautiful sight out of everything I’ve seen you do.” He chuckled.

Her brows furrowed in confusion at him saying the third most beautiful sight.

“Seeing you cum is second.” He watched her face go completely red, the blush reaching the tips of her ears and down her chest making him smirk. “Seeing you with your belly swollen with my child… that’s the first.”

He couldn’t stop the twitch of his hand. He wanted to reach and place his hand over the spot where a child would be.

“Gajeel…” Levy whispered and looked at the older version of the man she loved, any earlier embarrassment gone. “We’ll fix this. Okay? I won’t let my future self die and leave you alone.” She whispered, her fingers brushing his cheek. “Okay. You told me what happens… I’ll remember… I promise to remember.” She whispered to him.

Gajeel just met her gaze, nodding as he held her hand to his cheek. “I know you will, Shorty.”

She smiled at the use of the nickname. “Well, you have me up. What are we going to do now?” She asked him lightly, moving to take her toothbrush from him and finish cleaning up. She was still clad in her pajamas, but she wasn’t feeling as embarrassed as she had been earlier.

He opened his mouth before growling slightly. “Can’t really fuckin’ go anywhere with ya, since I don’t really look like my young’r self.” He moved onto the bed.

She tilted her head in thought, her finger quietly tapping her lips in thought which made his mind darken with more enjoyable activities. Mavis, this younger version of his mate was going to give him a slow agonizing death from arousal.

“Come on.” She grabbed some clothes. “Get dressed, we can go to a bookstore before going somewhere quiet for food.” She grinned. Of course she’d drag him to a bookstore.

He sighed but couldn’t stop a weak smile. His Levy didn’t get to indulge in her love for books because of the Dragons…. It was very rare to find a book intact.

* * *

 

_Gajeel had been guiding Levy through the ruins of what had been Oak Town. They had to be extra cautious as they went through the town. There was a known nest of dragons on the outskirts of town._

_They needed some medical supplies, especially since he learned of Levy’s pregnancy._

_The town had brought up bad memories, but he needed to get things for their group and Levy would be able to recognize them quicker than him. And he wasn’t partial to leaving Levy with what was left of their group since Erza and Wendy left._

_Levy was still very early in her pregnancy so he didn’t mind her being active, so long as she was with him or someone he trusted. Considering that Salamander, Erza, Wendy, and Laxus weren’t with their group… there wasn’t anyone else in the group that he trusted her with._

_His eyes had gone to his mate when she went strangely silent. “Lev, what is it…?”_

_The girl was looking at the ruins of a bookstore, a frown on her lips._

_He sighed, he knew her love for books and seeing them like that was probably very upsetting._

_“Lev, come on…” He moved to put an arm over her, but she pulled away and walked to the mess._

_“What are you doing?” He asked, watching as she dug around in the piles of books. The blunette was mumbling to herself as she dug through the debris and mostly destroyed books._

_“Hold on, Gaj.” She muttered, still digging through what she could. She was grumbling and muttering to herself as she pulled out a few ashy, charred books. “Good. They’re still here.” She couldn’t help but grin. They weren’t her usual language books he remembered her having back at Fairy Hills, or even romance novels._

_“Kay, we can keep going.” She smiled brightly, holding a few severely damaged books._

_“What are those even of?” He pulled one from her grasp before pausing as he saw the slightly charred cover, “..other… nd…. Ba…care?” He raised a brow at Levy._

_“Mother and Baby Care.” She clarified, she had remembered the book when she saw the bookstore… it had been Bisca’s guide when the green haired woman was pregnant. “It isn’t the fire time I’ve been to this place… and I remember the layout of the store…” She was a bit flustered. “I mean… obviously it was luck to find anything still readable, but I thought to try… especially since I know nothing about pregnancy and baby care.”_

_He couldn’t help but wrap his arms around his petite mate. The man nuzzling her as his palm moved over her still flat belly. “Yer mom is brilliant and is already thinkin’ of ya.” He said lightly to their developing child._

_Levy just smiled. “Come on, I think I wasted enough time. Let’s get the medical equipment then go.” She pressed a brief kiss to Gajeel’s cheek._

_He nodded and pulled away, all of his senses still on high alert as they began going towards the run down hospital. It was already pretty ransacked, but they were able to find a few things. Finding some medicine and equipment to take back Levy had paused before quickly grabbing a portable ultrasound machine._

_It had been quick, albeit dangerous, especially as night fell and the dragons began coming out from their nest. Gajeel and Levy were forced to take a long way to their camp with the others, the blunette using her Solid Script magic to cover their scent._

* * *

 

Levy had pulled a cloak clad Gajeel along to the bookstore. He quietly followed the petite woman, watching as she moved through the spells and language section of the rather impressive sized bookstore. She was very happy, having a large smile as she went to purchase a couple books.

Gajeel couldn’t help but roam away from Levy, unconsciously finding himself in the baby care section.

His eyes finding a soft toned book, a mother and infant on the cover. It was the same book his Levy had found…

“Bisca used that book.” Levy’s voice was quiet. “She and I got around to talking when we came back… Turns out Jet and Droy loaned some of my money to Alzack while we were on Tenrou… Bisca had been against asking for help, but Alzack was desperate when Asuka got sick. Since… Jet and Droy had access to my money for rent and emergency funds for missions… they loaned him money for medicine.” Levy’s voice was very quiet.

Gajeel turned to look at her, confused.

“Since Team Shadow Gear got together, we gave each other access to our money. For emergencies or to take care of each other’s necessities. Like… Rent.” She explained. “Bisca sought me out when Alzack told her where he got some of his extra fund from. She said she’d pay me back… but I just told her to tell me about Asuka and her pregnancy. Since I wasn’t here to help her as a friend.” Levy’s voice was quiet, content.

She moved to take the book off the shelf. “She said she lived by this book when she was pregnant. It told her things doctors didn’t mention… like when her fingers and toes developed…. Estimating when she’d start moving, little things that meant to world to new parents.”

“That ‘plains a lot.” He mumbled. “When we were getting med stuff… she found this book in the ruins of a bookstore… The way she looked at it…” He weakly smiled at the memory.

Levy moved to slip her hand into his. “Hey, don’t go there. I told you, I won’t let that happen.” She assured him softly. She quietly moved to skim through the book. She moved to put one of her language books away, and moved to the counter.

“You’re buying it?” He was slightly curious to why she was purchasing it.

“Mhm. Might as well learn about it now…” She hummed gently. Ignoring the look that the bookstore clerk gave her at seeing the books before ringing off the price. She handed him some jewels and took the bag with the books in it.

Sometimes… she just really surprised him.

Levy was a lot smarter and stronger than most people gave her credit for. The reason she was always reading was to understand and learn other magics. Because Solid Script was a word based magic, it was theorized that it could mimic other forms of magic.

She realized it was the small changes that would affect her future with him, not just the decision to not go with Lucy’s pushing.

The two ended up on the outer edge of Crocus, sitting by the water. They grabbed some food and sat down to eat. Everyone was so invested in the Grand Magic Games that once they were away from the center of the massive town, they were able to spend some time together without being locked in her hotel room.

He told her about his experiences before he came here and lost his Levy. She told him of her learning new types of magic since she had her second origin released.

It was something she didn’t tell anyone about. Not Jet, Dory, or even the Gajeel she knew. She didn’t want people searching for Ultear.

Despite how much he wanted to just pull her in his lap and hold her, he resisted the urge. He needed to allow her and the Gajeel of this time work at their own pace.

They spent a good few hours out, just talking and spending time together. It was when they finished that they needed to part ways.

He needed to find Heartfilia, despite how much he did not want to. And she needed to get back before Jet and Droy sent out a search party and that would likely lead to the Gajeel of this time overreacting out of fear or annoyance.

He pulled the tiny female towards him. “Keep yer window open tonight.” He muttered, pressing a brief kiss to her forehead.

Levy was growing used to his small bits of affection, so she just smiled and hummed happily with a nod.

“Stay safe.” Her words were brief, but it made him feel better.

* * *

 

_“Stay safe, kay?” Levy was curled up on their sleeping bag, her body clad in an shirt they found to help keep her warm at night. The small swell of her stomach had his attention._

_“Don't worry, Lev. I'll come back to you and the brat.” His nickname for their unborn child had her pouting. “I'll never leave you two, I promise.”_

_Even though he had to drop down to his knees and bend over, he pressed a brief and loving kiss to her lips before inching back to push up the shirt and press a kiss to her stomach._

_“Be good for yer ma. I'll be back soon. So… don't do anything amazing yet….” His eyes looked up at Levy panicked. “He won’t be doin' anything amazing yet, right?”_

_“Nothing we can feel yet, according to the book.” She laughed lightly. “You'll be back before **she** starts kicking.” _

_“It's a boy, Lev. I know it!” He laughed loudly, causing loud cries of annoyance from the other inhabitants of the base._

_“Gajeel, would you kindly shut up and leave already!” Freed snapped from the other room. He, Laxus, and Mira were spending the night before joining Lisanna. Evergreen, and Elfman at their small watch base._

_“Oi! Go back to stalkin' yer boyftiend!” Gajeel snapped in response as he left the room. His crimson eyes watched as Mira left a snoring Laxus' side to go bug a laughing Levy._

_Gajeel was doing some scavenging with a few others before Freed, Laxus, and Mira left._

_“I can stay here with you, help you and Gajeel with the baby coming, Levy.” He listened as the white haired woman spoke to his mate._

_“Mira, you need to find Lis and Elfman. I'll be okay. Gajeel would never let anything happen to us. And he'd never die out there when he knows we're having a baby…” It was an unrealistic lie. Gajeel, Levy, and Mira all knew that, but it made the three of them smile nonetheless._

_“You’re right. Besides, if anything did… well, you'll be my wife instead of me being that snoring idiot’s wife.” He knew Mira was glaring out the door towards her mate._

_The last thing he heard was them laughing._

_It was two weeks later that Levy died. Mira died under a month after his little Fae did._

* * *

 

Levy was humming as she made her way back to her hotel room.

“Where the hell were ya!” Gajeel, her Gajeel… the Gajeel from this time, snapped at her.

“Huh… o-oh, I went to get some books…” It wasn't a complete lie. She raised the bag for empathise.

“Ya can't just go out there. 'specially not with who knows who out there!” He moved towards the blunette. He was confused to why she was covered in his scent… while he wouldn’t outwardly question it, it did confuse him.

“Gajeel, I'm fine. I promise.” She smiled at him, placing a hand on his arm.

After talking to his future self, she realized he felt so much for her… the same if not more than what she felt.

“I promise.” Standing on her tip toes, she pressed a kiss to his jaw. Her hands both lightly resting on his shoulders.

“Levy…” He whispered in confusion, cheeks reddened and eyes wide, focusing on her as she pulled away. “Ya can’t just… go out there. I'm not there to protect ya…”

“I don't always need protecting, Gajeel… but if it's you, I'll always accept it.” Her words were soft, and her hand moved from his shoulder to his cheek.

He didn't understand why she was acting like this. Why she was acting like she knew something bad would happen.

“Come on… don’t give me that look, Shorty. I ain’t gonna disappear on you.” His large land cupped her cheek and she leaned into the intimate gesture.

“I know you won’t, Gajeel. But there’s so much I want to say…” She whispered.

“Then say it…”

Honey eyes peeked up with a tiny smile. “Not yet, Gajeel… Win this last round, and I'll tell you everything.”

Suddenly a massive grin stretched across his face. “Ya better get ready then, Shrimp. Cause you'll spill everything after tomorrow. Just you watch and cheer me on!”

She smiled. “Oh, definitely.” She giggled. “One more for good luck.” She leaned back up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Goodnight, Gajeel. Keep an ear out, I'll be cheering you on the entire time.” She pulled away with a playful smile before he could tug her back into his embrace.

She slipped off into her hotel room with a giggle.

“Fuckin' crazy Fae.” He shook his head. He had to meet back up with the Salamander for tomorrow's plan.

Levy had a hand over her mouth to silence her giggles. She felt so bold and happy since she met the older version of her crush. He showed her… that this Gajeel loved her. Even if he wasn’t completely ready yet.

She moved to go take a shower. Tomorrow would be an interesting day, unfortunately she didn’t know how interesting.

* * *

 

“They're underground….” A cloak covered woman mumbled.

“Ya already knew they were doing that. Now 'urry up. I wanna get back to Levy before ya ruin something else.” Gajeel snapped, letting his cloak hood. His face scars shining against the moonlight.

The elder version of Gajeel had no tolerance for the blonde celestial mage.

“Do you really hate me that much, Gajeel…?” Lucy lowered her hood. “Levy was my friend too… and Natsu was my everything.”

“You don't get to use her name!” Suddenly the blonde was pinned to the rough textured bricks. “She was pregnant. We were having a fuckin' baby! And you sent us out there, knowing she'd never say no to you! Everything! I. Lost. EVERYTHING! I had to watch her die, Lucy! I watched her fucking eyes go dull and heard her heart stop beating!” He pulled her away from the wall to slam her against it once more before dropping her.

“You don't get to say her name. You don't get to call her your friend. Because her memory is the only thing…. THE ONLY THING! That's keeping me from killing you here and now.” Gajeel snarled.

“I could end everything with your past self, but she didn’t do shit yet. So either find a way to stop those damn Dragons, or tell itself to keep a better hold on Salamander. Cause she knows not to agree to your beggin'. She won’t knowingly risk our child for you.”

Lucy was whimpering. “I'm sorry!”

“You don't get to be sorry until you fix this. You're lucky I even showed up to check on you.” His voice was no longer angry, just bitter and cold.

“Ga—…”

“No, Heartfilia! You don’t get to whine and say sorry until this is fixed! You didn’t know Natsu was dead, and I fucking get that. But Levy still died because of you! Because of me! I lost everything… I never had fuckin’ much, but I had her and our kid… and I lost them both trying to find Natsu for ya.” Gajeel growled at the smaller female.

Her wide brown eyes just watered as they looked at the large, scarred, raven haired man. She couldn’t stop the desperate whimpers and cries, saying how sorry she was.

“I’m leavin’ now. Find a way to stop those damn dragons. Cause… if you fail. Yer other self will be lucky if she ever sees my other self and Levy again. I’m not happy ruinin’ yer friendship, but I’ll do whatever I can to keep her safe.” He felt no sympathy toward her cause his anger.

Maybe it was wrong of him to put so much blame on her, but if she never asked… They would have never gone out. And maybe, just maybe, he’d be laying in whatever place they were calling safe, holding his pregnant mate or even newborn child and mate.

Lucy just cried in the alley way, leaning into the wall as she picked herself up. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” She whispered over and over.

_“I did know he was already gone… And I still sent you both out there to find him…”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 3383


	3. Enough Wasting Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this one. Soon you'll get more background on Future Lucy and Future Gajeel

Gajevy

Other Pairings: NaLu

Time Variance

Chapter Three:

Enough Wasting Time

* * *

 

Levy was curled up in her bed by the time the future Gajeel finished with Lucy. Her purple pajama clad form. Her hair was loose, free from any restraints. The tank top crept up on her stomach, while her legs were twisted around in her pants. Blankets haphazardly kicked off her body.

This is the sight the future version of Gajeel came in to see when he snuck in through the window.

He couldn’t stop the half smirk on his face, seeing her like this. She was so damn cute.

After a few minutes he noticed a shift in her breathing, she was waking up/

“Nng… Stop watching me and just come into the bed and sleep.” She mumbled, turning onto her side, groping around for a piece of the blanket. “It is freaking creepy, Gajeel.”

He couldn’t help but choke out a laugh. “Whatever you say, Shorty.” He shrugged off his shirt and joined her in the bed. While it was uncomfortable with him keeping his distance. He didn’t want to change time too much more than he and Lucy already were.

Suddenly he was met with an annoyed and sleepy gaze.

“Are you going to make this awkward and creepy?” She asked, her tone laced with annoyance at being woken up from him watching her.

He opened his mouth to say something.

“Not a freaking virgin, neither are you. Put your damn arms around me and stop making this uncomfortable for both of us Gajeel.” She yawned and looked at him.

“Lev, I don’t want to—.”

“Change anything else. That’s pretty obvious. Too late. ‘m telling your younger self my feelings after tomorrow. I have no doubt he’ll win.” She mumbled, scooting closer to the man. Her hand gently brushed his bare chest.

Maybe she should have been embarrassed, scared, nervous or something, but she wasn’t. Blame it on being sleepy, but she wanted to stop wasting time, especially if his future happened.

“If dragons do attack… I don’t want to waste time. You said it took my other self nearly dying for you two to confess… I don’t want it to come to that.”

Her honesty and how much she obviously wanted him made his heart both ache and swell. This was what he and his Levy missed out on. They were too afraid and so sure they would have all the time in the world before the dragons attacked…

His hand cupped her cheek. Why did they wait so damn long? “Sorry…”

“For wh—?”

Her question was silenced by a rough pair of lips. He couldn’t help himself. He knew this Levy wasn’t his to hold, to touch, to kiss…. To desire, but he wanted her so damn much.

She was his treasure, something for him to steal and hide away. Her scent, so rich and mingled with his own.

His tongue forced into her mouth, tasting her. Her tongue moved against his, shy yet willing. His hand moved into her cornflower locks, gripping them hard as he pressed into the kiss more.

He felt her trembling against him, whether out of surprise, excitement, or fear, he didn’t know at the moment. He was drowning in her scent of honeysuckle and vanilla, smothered in paper and ink.

Soon, hands pressed on his chest and she pulled away, his fingers still entangled in her hair, her cheeks flushed and eyes half lidded. He watched as her chest heaved slightly to catch her breath.

“.. Don’t make him wait…” The sight of her like that was too much. She wasn’t his to touch like this!

“Gaj…”

“Go. Don’t wait till tomorrow. Go, right now, Levy.” He growled lightly. “Because… they come tomorrow night. Don’t wait like I did… like I so stupidly did… Just don't tell him I'm here.”

She looked at him and quietly nodded. She understood what he was doing, and while she wanted to stay, she knew it was better if she didn’t.

“Gajeel…” She leaned up, pressing herself against him and a small kiss was pressed to his lips. “I love you, Gajeel. The version I have grown with here, and you.” She smiled lightly and slowly got up.

Crimson eyes watched as she slipped on her shoes and his sensitive hearing heard her go down the hall to his younger self’s room.

Eyes moved to the ceiling. Pulling a worn ribbon from his pocket, the same ribbon Levy had on her nightstand, just older.

“I know…” He sighed, looking at the worn yellow ribbon with a black diamond pattern. “I miss you, Lev… Hopefully, I’ll get to come back soon and everything will be okay.” He closed his eyes, fist tightening around the ribbon.

* * *

 

Levy was quietly knocking on the door. Despite the rules of team members sharing a room, Gajeel didn’t listen. It would be bad enough having Gray and Juvia in a room together, but then adding Natsu, Erza, and Laxus.

Both Laxus and Gajeel couldn’t get out of the room fast enough.

“Fuck you want?” Gajeel’s voice was rough, yanking the door open. Unlike his older self in her hotel room, this Gajeel forewent pants. “Shrimp, do you know what time it is?”

Levy was blushing but she couldn’t help but stay quiet.

“Fuck, Shrimp. Come on. You’d have a nightmare, ‘r somethin’?” He asked, tugging the girl into his room, shutting and locking the door behind him.

She shook her head and moved to place her hands on his chest, honeyed eyes looking up at him.

The way she was looking at him had him still. He knew in the back of his mind that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, but he never logically believed she could want him. Not after everything he did to her.

“Levy..?”

Him using her name broke her still state. Her fingers moved up from his check, not breaking the skin contact as she moved to lace her fingers behind his neck, lightly tugging him down as she leaned up on her tip toes.

It didn’t take much coaxing for Gajeel to move with her tugging, but when she pressed her lips to his, all thought went out the damned window. Arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.

“I love you, Gajeel.”

She said it. She fucking said it. And it felt good.

Games be damned, Fairy Tail be damned, everything be fucking damned. He wasn’t going to get any sleep any time soon and he didn’t fucking want to right now.

He didn’t hesitate in moving to the bed with her. His lips meeting hers again, the passionate kiss had both of their minds fuzzy. His body hovering over hers as they kissed. Tongues battling, teeth nipping, passionate, moan drawing kisses.

“Say it again.” He growled against her lips, making a light giggle escape her.

She tugged on his hair a bit to have him pull away. To which he did reluctantly.

Her hand moved to his cheek. “I love you, Gajeel Redfox. I have been in love with you for a while… I don’t know when it started for sure… but you are my… my everything.”

The bold statement and her eyes never wavering from his.

She never needed him to make her big. She was already big. She had more damn balls then most of the guild and guy’s he’s faced.

“I’m a Dragon Slayer, Levy. Raised by a dragon. You better be damn sure you know what yer saying to me.” He wanted to be sure.

“I’m positive. I’m more sure about you than my love for books.” She cracked a smile. “I know it means I’m yours, only yours. I’m done being afraid of showing you what I feel.”

He couldn’t help but smile. Levy wanted him, despite everything he’s done. Despite him being a selfish bastard, she wanted him.

“Good. 'm never lettin' you go.” The words made her smile, she knew he wouldn't. The proof was his elder self.

“And I'll never let you go.” She moved to kiss him again, her hands moving against his bare chest.

She felt his muscles ripple under her touch as she deepened the kiss. Her body arching up to him as he slipped one of his hands under her back.

“Ya gotta stop if ya wanna take this slow, Levy…” He growled, the light friction of her body arching up into him, her hips lifting to press into him.

“Gajeel, I came in here in the dead of the night, confessing I loved you. If I wanted to take it slow I would have waited more, or said I wanted to take it slow.” Levy said lightly.

She knew exactly what would happen and if she wasn’t okay with it, she wouldn’t have come.

“I… I've never… ya know…” His face was flustered, a deep shade of red.

Levy lightly bit her lip. He was so cute when he was awkward and shy.

“I… I have. Is… is that okay?” Even if she knew it was more than likely okay, it would still be a sensitive topic to approach.

“Y-ya… just.. Never tell me who the guy was…” He glanced down at her.

“Who said it was a guy?” She couldn't help but tease him.

When he jerked back, eyes wide and face completely red, she giggled. Listening to her giggle he calmed down. “I don't know if yer joking about that… but I dunno whether to be worried 'r turned on.”

Levy just giggled more. “You never need to worry, because I love you.”

“Ya got bad taste in men.”

“Maybe.”

“I'm going be a selfish bastard and a jerk at times.”

“I know how to deal with you. My purse works well. Or I could take a page out of Lucy's book and kick you.”

He glared at the petite blunette. “I'll spend the rest of my life proving how much I love ya, cause I sure as hell don't deserve ya.” He finished.

“You don't to, because I already know how much you love me. And you deserve happiness, Gajeel. And I'm hope you find it with me.”

“No fucking hope about it. I know I will.” He kissed her slowly, lips moving at whatever pace she set. She knew what she was doing apparently.

Levy smiled into the kiss, slowly moving to sit up, which caused him to sit back. He would have growled in annoyance if she hadn’t started pulling her shirt up over her head.

He swallowed hard at a realization, she didn’t wear a bra when she slept. Suddenly all those nights, sleeping so close to her after training, before they want to Tenrou…

His mouth went dry as his eyes took in her uncovered chest. Small, but perfect. Her breasts were actually bigger than he thought, a B-cup most likely.

“You can touch me, Gajeel. You don't have to just look.” Her voice broke his thoughts.

How could he touch such a beautiful thing with his once blood stained hands?

“Don’t go there. I know that look.” A small hand gripped his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. “Don't get lost in the past, especially since I'm here… right now... Wanting a future with you. Phantom Lord is gone, and look at where we are. You’re a Fairy Tail mage. You’ve made up your past to me… You're amazing, Gajeel.” She whispered to him.

Arms wrapped around her, tightly pulling her to his chest. “Thank you… Thank you so much.” He whispered into her hair.

She was offering him so much... and he wasn’t going to waste it.

Gajeel slowly pulled away, his lips moving to hers, his hands resting on her waist.

She couldn’t help but smile against his lips, her fingers moving to his hands, resting over them, she guided his hands up her body.

“You won’t hurt me, Gajeel. You never would hurt me.” She said against his lips.

He never wanted to, but sometimes he worried because of how small she was. He slowly moved to cup her breasts, feeling how they fit perfectly in his palms. Like the rest of her body, they were warm and soft.

When he started to gently knead them, letting his palm scrape against her nipples, her lips broke from his in a soft moan. He took the chance to pull back and watch her face.

Her expression, head tipped back slightly, exposing her slender neck, her lips parted as such sweet sounds came out. She had his cock straining against his boxers.

Unable to stop his curiosity, his head dropped to her breasts. Gently moving his hand around one of the perky breasts, his lips moved around the rosy bud. Teeth lightly biting down on the tender flesh, but it only caused a sharp gasp and low moan to escape her.

Hearing her moans in approval, he began sucking and biting harder, his other hand kneading her breast until he pulled his palm back to pinch and tug her nipple. Making sure he showed both attention.

Levy’s hands moved to his hair, her breath occasionally hitched in her throat. His touch set her blood on fire, every inch of her body was reacting to his touch and she couldn’t help but wonder why it took them so long to get to this point.

A whimper escaped her lips as he pulled his head away, but before she knew it he was paying attention to the other.

Her fingers slid through his hair, down along his back. “S-stop teasing me…” She whispered lightly.

“Can’t help it, ya taste good.” He chuckled against her breast.

This caused her face to flush slightly as he began kissing down along her belly. She may have bene more experience then Gajeel, but not by much.

“Can I…?” His question caused her to hum lightly, his fingers were hooked under her sweatpants, ready to drag them down.

“Not tonight.” Her fingers moved to caress his cheek. “We both have to get up early enough. I think if we spend all night doing this…”

“Fuck the games.” He growled and moved up to kiss her.

“Mm can’t. Everyone is counting on you, plus… I’ll be cheering you on the entire time.” She moved to kiss him back, wrapping her arms around him. She leaned into him.

“You better.” He growled lightly, his hands slipping down to tug her pants off, easily lifting her to tug them and her panties down her legs,

This was the sight he thought he could only dream of, when his lips broke from hers.

Levy on his bed, her blue locks messily fanned out around her head, but her eyes… they were just on him. She was his.

He moved to caress her hip as he got off the bed long enough to tug his boxers off.

Levy was biting her lower lip, catching the sight of his fully erect cock. He was larger than she expected, but she wasn’t too surprised to see him pierced there.

“Did they hurt at all…?” She asked lightly, moving to sit up slightly, her fingers moving to brush against his cock. Trailing from the base at his pelvis towards the head with the steel Prince Albert.

She watched as he repressed a twitch, at least… everything but his cock agreed with the repression.

“N-nah… Ya know me and pain, Levy... Fuck… that feels good.” She smiled at his breathless confession. Her fingers moving to stroke him slowly.

“Come here.” Her voice was soft, but it held a light demand as she moved her hands to rest on her thighs as he moved closer to her. Letting him relax as he sat on the bed.

Once he was comfortable, she got onto his lap, although it was more of a female dominate position, he was going to give him control.

 “Start slow, okay.” She said lightly, her hand carefully guiding him to her entrance, slick with need, she was only a few inches above him so she bit her lip in anticipation.

“Course, Lev.” He whispered, with her guidance he slowly pushed into her. A quiet hiss passing his lips. She was so fucking tight.

His hands slid down to her hip, pulling her toward him. His eyes watching as she moaned out his name.

He loved hearing her name on his lips, it encouraged him to move, careful with his thrusts. He was worried the piercings would hurt her, but seeing her face twist in pleasure he knew she wasn’t feeling anything but good things.

“Mm, stop it… not gonna hurt me.” She weakly scolded him. “They feel really, really good…”

He lowered his head. “Sorry. Just don’t wanna hurt you…” He held back a groan.

“I’ll tell you if you ever do.” She said lightly, kissing his neck slowly as she lifted her hips out of his grip before dropping herself down onto him.

This made him groan and move to grip her hips tighter, beginning to thrust up into her, his grip guiding her hips towards his thrusts, forcing her to roll her hips against him.

The blunette had her arms wrapped around him, nails digging into his back as he bounced her along the length of his shaft.

He hissed lightly in a cross of pleasure and light pain. He knew the scratches were probably red and welted because of her nails. It just added to his enjoyment.

She felt how he tensed under her, likely trying to ward off his climax, but she wasn’t much farther behind him in that sense.

“I love you.” She whispered, leaning down to kiss him slowly, her hips slowly lifting and dropping, taking her time to feel as his every inch filled her.

“Love ya, too. But don't think I'm givin' ya, control.” He was taking advantage of the position. His hands holding her hips as he guided her, his own moving to meet hers.

It wasn't the steady pace she had set nor the one they started with; it was so much better. Like his overall personality, Gajeel was thrusting into her harder and faster without pushing too far too fast.

The thrusts had her head tossing back, crying out in pleasure, loud moans filling the mostly empty room, mingling with the mixture of the sound of skin hitting skin.

The blunette was so wet, so tight. She was so damn close and it was all his fault she was going to cum so quick.

The way he was taking her aching body along with the added pleasure of his piercings, Levy was almost there, her body beginning to tremble in his grasp.

“Fuck… yer getting so tight…” He grunted, he was nearing his own limit.

“I’m… I'm so close… don't you dare stop!” Her head was thrown, her perky breasts bouncing with thrust of his hips and guidance of his hand.

Her vision was spotty and soon it was past that. Her lips couldn't stop the cry of his name as she came, hard.

The way her core squeezed his cock, how her juices flowed over him, and her cry… he couldn't hold back. With a low growl he came, yanking Levy down into his arms. He tightly gripped her to his chest.

His hot seed pouring into her as he sank his teeth into her neck.

She really didn’t expect the latter, but she was also with a Dragon Slayer. Her body just tried to relax, a twinge in pain raked through her. But it was soon overwhelmed by a feeling of euphoria.

Her blood hot, and her magic pulsated. This feeling was as if every nerve ending in her body felt pleasure. A small portion of his naturally powerful magic was laced within her own. His magic having marked her just as his body had. And it was one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

“Sorry.” He muttered, nuzzling her neck as the addition of his magic helped the wound seal quickly. “It is... How Dragons and Dragon Slayers mark their mates.

Levy just smiled and turned to press a kiss to his cheek. Exhaustion taking hold of her body, and from the weight of his arms around her, he wasn’t too far behind.

She wanted to warn him, to tell him everything and she would…

She just knew now wasn’t the time.

“Tomorrow, after you win… because I know you will, come get me.” She whispered as she snuggled against his chest.

She didn't know if they'd actually win, the Future Gajeel didn't tell her. She did believe in them though, and come tomorrow night… when the Dragons attacked, she'd be at his side, whether he liked it or not.

“Of course I will.” His voice was as tired as hers, arms wrapped around her smaller body. He pressed a light kiss to her forehead.

* * *

 

It was just past dawn that Gajeel left Levy asleep in his hotel room. He had to meet his team, and he didn’t want to wake her.

“I’ll be listening for ya, Levy.” He brushed his lips against her temple before he left. He closed the door and left her sleeping in bed.

It was less than an hour later that Levy woke up and tugged her clothes on so she could go get dressed in her room. Her body was sore and she ached in a good way.

The blunette soon was seeing the future version of her mate quietly waiting.

His memories had been shifting, having two sets of memories. She was changing their future, and he was happy for it. While, right now, it had the same ending, he’s assuming because it hasn’t happened for her yet.

His fingers brushed her hair away from her neck, while it seemed flawless, the moment he touched it, her magic responded to his, iron scales lightly decorating her neck. They were smaller, more delicately shaped than the scales that would cover his body.

“Gaj…?” She asked. She had taken to calling her Gajeel, Gajeel, and his future self Gaj.

“I have to go after Heartfilia, I have a feeling.” He didn’t want to go, but his instincts had never been wrong before… even if he had ignored them.

“Go. Stay safe, I don’t want you acting without thinking.” She said, leaning into the hand as it moved from her neck to her cheek. “I need to go watch your younger self win the games.”

“Who said Fairy Tail wins?” He quirked a pierced brow.

“Me. Because I believe in him and your strength.” She grinned lightly.

He chuckled and moved to brush her hair back. “Cheer the loudest out there. You’ll enjoy the fights.” He said lightly, leaning to brush his lips against her forehead.

“Do you doubt I will?” She asked.

“Not for a fuckin’ second.” He smirked. “Get dressed, Lev. I’ll see you when I can… and I know ya want to tell him.”

“I really should, I hate hiding this from him. Especially after last night.” She said lightly, moving to grab her dress from the closet.

“Tell him… but don’t tell him about Heartfilia. I have more control of my anger, but him bein’ so new to being yer mate. He may kill Heartfilia and her self from this time. I know I’ve been tempted to, but you and the Levy I lost are the only things keepin’ me from doing it.”

“I thought you didn’t hate her.” She mumbled.

“She still is the cause of my Lev being gone, I don’t care if she was my damn sister. She took my heart and soul from me. If Ur didn’t come out with the Eclipse Plan to come back… I would have taken my own life.”

Golden eyes snapped to him.

“When I did this to ya.” He moved to her, touching her neck to see the scales reappear once more, “You became my life. My everything. Your scent on that ribbon you always wear, it kept me half sane.” He said lightly. “Besides, I have a promise to keep.”

“To who…?” Levy questioned lightly, her hand moving over his large hand as it rested on her neck.

“Freed. Funny who becomes your friends when you feel the world crashing down on you.” He chuckled bitterly. “Now go. I need to go as well.”

He caught her small nod and left quickly and quietly. He had to go to the castle.

* * *

 

_Laxus was gone, not because of a dragon or wounds. Laxus had killed himself a week after Mira’s death._

_Second Generation Dragon Slayer or not, the attachment, the deep soul depth need for one’s mate was still there._

_Freed was a wreck after losing his best friend, but he wasn’t willing to let go like that. Instead he had, in a way, become Gajeel’s pillar._

_Losing Levy was like losing color and sound. Everything was dull, and the only thing keeping him sane was the scent that clung to the ribbon she had once worn._

_It hadn’t been Lucy or Ur or Meredy that had pulled him from his depths, it had been Freed._

_The green haired male had been so much like Levy, that there was a comfort in his presence. Fucking spoke words at him that he didn’t understand half the time, then again, at least they were Fiorian this time._

_Levy had always had a habit of switching up what language she spoke when she was upset. He really fucking missed those days._

_It was by the third month Gajeel realized something, he was using Freed to replace as much as he lost of Levy, as Freed was using him to replace what he lost of Laxus._

_Freed lost everyone. The Thunder Legion was shattered. Elfman had been gravely injured, which lead to Evergreen taking him across the heavy dragon populated area, one Levy dubbed: The Nest._

_Surprisingly, they survived and were with Wendy and Chelia’s group._

_Along with Mira, Bickslow and Lisanna were lost._

_Freed was alone, and while he could try to go to where Ever and Elfman were, the woman had left him without a word._

_Gajeel welcomed the distraction, but by month five, Freed and Gajeel were back in their own pits of despair. They had moments, where their friendship had helped, but the loss of their families had been too great._

_“You’re going?” Freed had been lurking in the background when Lucy had confronted Gajeel about the gates._

_“Yes. I’d do anything to get Levy back…” Crimson eyes didn’t look to the other male, it looked to the worn, dirty ribbon around his wrist._

_“You’re changing the past, Gajeel!”_

_“Well, what kind of future is this!?” Gajeel was furious. “Levy is dead, Laxus is dead, Natsu is dead. Most of everyone we know, if fucking dead!” The Iron Dragon Slayer snarled._

_“I’ll changed whatever I have to if it means I get Levy back.” His tone dropped, before he met Freed’s gaze._

_“Fine. Promise me one thing.” Freed paused to see Gajeel nod his head slightly. “You make sure this is worth it. You make damn sure that brat out there does what she’s supposed to do!” Freed yelled. “You make sure she stops these damn dragons from ever attacking!”_

* * *

 

Levy stood up in the stands, watching as all of the teams walked into the City of Crocus for their final battle. Her eyes never leaving the lacrima screen before her.

_“This is it.”_ She thought.

Gajeel Redfox, of X791, stood with his four other teammates in Crocus, waiting for the right time. Following the First Master’s Plan.

Gajeel Redfox, of X794, was moving towards the Castle.

Lucy Heartfilia, of X791, was currently in a prison cell, trying to escape with Yukino.

Lucy Heartfilia, of X794, was currently navigating her path to which the underground paths opened. Where she’d confront herself and all of her friends she had lost.

The future Lucy had much to make up for, but with the help of her past self, she’d make up everything. She’d stop the dragons, even if it killed her. She couldn’t allow Natsu to die… nor could she ever allow herself to send Levy and Gajeel after him.

_“Good luck everyone.”_ Levy thought, hoping each of them heard her words in their hearts.

 


	4. Mistakes to Fix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's more on Lucy!

* * *

Gajevy

Other Pairings: NaLu

Time Variance

Chapter Four:

Mistakes to Fix

* * *

 

Lucy Heartfilia has made many mistakes in her life, some small, some massive. She knows and understands this.

She understood it the day she and Ur talked about going back in time, through the Eclipse Gate, to stop the Dragons.

She understood that when she pleaded with Gajeel to forgive her for her mistakes towards him, the ones that got Levy, his mate, her best friend, killed over.

She knew she’d never be forgiven for her mistakes, but it didn’t mean she had to let them stay. She would do everything in her power to fix her mistakes.

Quietly, the blonde searched for the path to open the doors from the Abyss Palace, The Capital of Death… it has many names and she remembered going through them.

“Man, you’d think I’d remember this place better.” She grumbled lightly as she moved through corridor after corridor, trying to find the right doors to the place.

Her annoyed brown eyes caught sight of the back of her hand and suddenly she paused in her steps, cradling her hand to her chest.

She didn’t deserve the mark. Not after Levy died. She removed it… she no longer belonged to Fairy Tail who fought for their family.

* * *

 

_Lucy sat in the back of the room, barely drinking, barely eating. She had been back for three days._

_Levy was trying her hardest to help the blonde, the scarred blunette would often cradle her, helping her sip water or feeding her bread._

_Lucy loved how amazing her best friend was, but with all the affection and caring the blunette did for her… it never stopped._

_“Hey Luce! Come on, where’d you go?” The voice haunted her. Day in and day out since she left the ruins._

_She never made a sound, not until it was night time._

_“Stop… please, just stop…”_

_Levy confronted her about it before, yet she couldn’t say the words._

_“Are you afraid of the Dragons, Lu?” Levy asked quietly, moving to hold her best friend._

_She just nodded her head._

_“Yeah, Luce? Scared of the dragons?” It was toying her again. It was his voice and she could practically feel his smirk._

_NO! NATSU WAS DEAD!!_

_“Who say’s I’m dead Luce. You just left me.”_

_The voice played in her head over and over._

_“Lucy, can I tell you something?” Levy asked quietly, her arms still wrapped around Lucy._

_Lucy shifted a bit to peer up at the blunette from her position leaning against her._

_Levy looked so much older… so mature, so brave… it made her jealous. The way her eyes would look at the ceiling, then flicker towards the doorway._

_“Of course you can, Levy.” Her voice was small, yet she felt a small smile grace her lips. Levy would always be there for her._

_“I’m pregnant, Lu.” And those words… with those small, simple words. Lucy’s cracked world began to shatter._

_“She’s going to leave you, Lucy. JUST LIKE YOU LEFT ME!!” It was Natsu’s voice again… but at the same time, it wasn’t._

_“T-that’s great, Levy!” Lucy tried her hardest to muster up a smile._

_That was supposed to be her. She and Natsu were the ones who were supposed to find their happiness in this destruction._

_“I’m very happy… I’m…. I’m thinking if we have a girl, we might name her Juvia…” Levy said lightly. “I haven’t talked to Gajeel about it yet, but I think he’d like it. Juvia was one of his best friends… and maybe, if it’s a boy… maybe Makarov, Metalicanna, or Pantherlily…” She mumbled lightly. The blunette was quietly getting lost in her own thoughts as her hand shifted slightly to her slightly curved belly._

_Now that Lucy knew, she noticed the bump a lot more. It was barely there… it was so early on she hadn’t noticed._

_“Look at her, Luce. Shouldn’t that be us? Why’d you leave me? Why did you leave me to die out there?” Natsu’s voice ran in her ears, day in and day out. At first it had been a comfort, but now it just terrified her._

_Sometimes, just sometimes, she’d feel like he was there. Sometimes she’d hallucinate and see him there._

_It wasn’t till four days later, it got so bad._

_She knew. She absolutely knew he wasn’t there…. But he felt so real. He sounded so real._

_“Luce! Come find me. I’m okay, just come and get me, Lucy!” The voice played in her head after she woke up. In the distance she’d see him._

_Shaking her head, she brushed it off at first._

_“Come on, Luce! Come find me! Don’t you want to see me? Hug me? Start a family with me?”_

_Over and over._

_She broke. She shouldn’t have, but she did._

_She knew he wasn’t real. The voice wasn’t him… That Natsu was dead._

_Yet… she never really saw him die… sure, she heard the crunch of bones and his scream…_

_Maybe it had been a scream of anger and he actually hurt one of them._

_“Yeah! Natsu is far too strong to lose to a stupid lizard!” Her mind cheered._

_Her own mind had turned against her._

_“G-Gajeel…?” Her voice sounded small, she had knocked on the makeshift door to where Gajeel and Levy set up their room. It was small, but it was theirs._

_The door creaked and she could make out the shape of the Iron Dragon Slayer kissing Levy’s abdomen, likely where the bump was._

_“You can do it, Lucy. Ask him. He’ll be able to find Natsu, then that’ll be us!” Her mind cheered. She was almost giddy at the idea._

_Natsu and she, they never kissed. They never confessed. Nothing. They knew their feelings, but they wasted too much time._

_“G-gajeel?” She knocked again._

_“Heard ya the first time. What do ya want?” He didn’t even bother getting up to see her. His face stayed against Levy’s stomach and it annoyed her to no end._

_Why did it annoy her so much?_

_“Lucy?” This time it was Levy, she caught the image of the girl slowly sitting up, only to be stopped by her mate when he growled lightly._

_That loving smile the blunette gave him silence any growl he had, and her fingers moved through his hair._

_“C-can we talk?” She felt so insecure all of a sudden. She was terrified to ask. How could she ask Gajeel to go after Natsu?_

_“Come on in, Lu.” Levy sighed lightly, moving to tug her shirt down as Gajeel sat up with an annoyed huff._

_Slowly, Lucy opened the door more and entered the room._

_Gajeel watched her wearily, as if worried she’d break at any moment. Worried she’d be a danger to Levy or their baby._

_“C-can… Gajeel… woul..” Tears started flowing from her chocolate eyes. Levy was up in a moment to embrace the girl._

_“C-can you go after Natsu, please?” Sobs choked past her lips as she clung to Levy._

_“He’s got to be alive… Natsu is alive.” Her thoughts reassured her. And for the first time since leaving the area, leaving Natsu to the dragons, his voice stopped playing in her head._

_“Look, Lucy…” He started, feeling awkward being around a sobbing, crying Lucy._

_Levy looked at her friend and stroked her hair._

_“I can’t just leave, Levy here…” He tried to make an excuse. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure Natsu was alive anymore. He didn’t know for certain._

_“I know he’s alive, Gajeel! Please!” Lucy began swaying, losing her footing, if it wasn’t for Gajeel yanking Levy into his arms, she would have dragged the blunette down with her. “Please…”_

_Levy bit her lip, “I…. I can go with you, Gaj… I can’t… just do nothing. If it was you out there… I don’t know what I’d do.” Levy whispered to him._

_The blunette was terrified. Utterly terrified of going into the outside world while she carried such a precious life inside her._

_“Lev… I… Fuck..” Gajeel moved his fingers through his hair. “We’ll leave tomorrow after we pack some rations. We’re not going to The Nest. Got it? We’ll go to the boarders. If we can’t find him, that’s it._

_“Thank you! Thank you so much…” She looked up at the couple, tears flowing down her reddened cheeks._

_“Come on, Lucy… I’ll take you back to your bed.” Levy said quietly, moving from Gajeel’s arms. She offered a soft look to Gajeel before guiding Lucy to her bedroll._

* * *

 

That was the last time she actually saw Levy. She has been sleeping when the two left to go find Natsu… if only she had been up earlier. She could have stopped them.

Once she learned Levy was gone, she couldn’t tell Gajeel. He would have killed her.

She was selfish and she regretted every bit of it.

Ur called it Brief Psychotic Disorder.

She had explained everything to Ur, and the woman agreed that they shouldn’t tell Gajeel. Especially after what happened to Laxus and Mira.

Ur had explained she had developed it after she had been told her mother abandoned her. That she began having Psychotic episodes and nearly killed someone because her “mother” has said so.

Lucy sighed and looked at her hand. One day, she’s earn the right to be called a member of Fairy Tail again…

_“Levy… Natsu… I’ll make this right. I promise.”_ Lucy thought. It wasn’t for maybe an hour or so more until she found the doorway.

Now she’d just have to listen and wait for Natsu and the others.

Her eyes shut slowly… just a small nap.

She was so tired.

* * *

 

Levy was watching the battle between Gajeel and Rogue.

She smiled lightly, watching as it seemed Gajeel had worked it out peacefully with Rogue. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Man, first Gajeel keeps me up half the night with some girl in his room, now he’s not even fighting. This fucking sucks.” She heard Macao sigh heavily.

Her face began slowly turning red. She didn’t even look back at the male.

“Girl in his room? Like a fan girl?” Cana asked, looking over at the older man.

“I have no idea; I’d assume so. But they were at it half of the night. Must be nice.”

“Dad, really… I don’t need to hear you complaining about things like this.” Romeo sighed, looking towards Asuka who was innocently oblivious.

Suddenly Levy felt an arm over her shoulders. “Say, bluebird, you wouldn’t happen to know who was with Gajeel last night, would ya?”

“ _Ohmygod!Canashutup,Canashutup. CANA FUCKING SHUT UP.”_ Levy’s thoughts were beginning to run together in a light panic.

“Of course she doesn’t know, Cana!” Jet snapped at the brunette.

Cana just ginned lightly. “Don’t worry bluebird. Keep it our little secret, so long as you can pay for a bit of my Whiskey at the bar later. I won’t tell anyone I say you running down the hall in the middle of the night to Gajeel’s room.” The taller, bustier woman whispered in Levy’s ear.

Only a few people caught Levy’s red face. Cana, Mavis, Makarov, and Lisanna. The take-over mage and the card magic mage grinned at each other.

“Of course she doesn’t know! I wanna keep my little bluebird innocent and sweet!” Cana laughed and wrapped her arms around Levy, nuzzling the girl openly. “You owe me.” She whispered to Levy.

_“Bitch. That was cruel.”_ Levy wanted to pout.

“Cana, off!” She suddenly snapped as her eyes caught Rogue panicking on the screen. It was like he was being possessed and fighting off voices in his head.

Everyone who looked at Levy when she snapped was suddenly directed towards the lacrima screen.

_“Gajeel, get out of there! Something isn’t right!”_ She couldn’t voice her panicked words. Her eyes only watching in horror as it seemed that Rogue was both taken over by this force and pushed into his Dragon Force.

Suddenly, in a blur of dust and shadows, Gajeel was throw away.

“Gajeel!” Her body lunged forward in panic.

Cana had moved to grab one of her hands, and she squeezed it, hard. She was terrified. Something wasn’t right.

It seemed she wasn’t the only one to notice that something was off. Makarov noticed it as well.

Seeing Gajeel’s predatory grin though, it made almost a bloodlust run through her.

How could that asshole dare use that cheap shot!?

“Come on! Wipe the floor with that jerk!”

Cana was no longer looking at the screen, her eyes were looking towards the pacifist of the Guild. Levy was very invested in the fight and it was very unusual for her.

Her vocal reactions, the way she stood. Cana noted that Levy looked ready to run off and find him.

“Calm down bluebird…” Cana whispered in a hushed tone.

“I can’t…” Levy muttered, eyes glued to the screen. Physically she was unable. The magic he pushed into her body the night before was flaring up inside her. She could almost feel the iron scales coming up on her skin.

“What’s happening first master?” Makarov’s voice took half of the groups partial attention, no one was willing to look away.

“He’s been possessed by someone or something.” Her voice was cool, but Levy had a feeling the small blonde was upset. That was one of her children out there.

Levy had to clamp her hands over her mouth. “It’s almost like his magic is changing….” Although the words seemed like a response to Romeo, it was her voicing her thought out loud.

Her heart was pounding.

Did this happen to the other Gajeel? Did he know about this?

Then, Rogue made his move and Levy couldn’t stop her scream.

She didn’t care who knew now. She didn’t care.

“He’s going to end up killing him if he doesn’t let go!” Her eyes dilated in fear. “GAJEEL!!”

Her eyes watched as Gajeel was gasping for air against the hand around his throat, his feet a few inches off the ground as Rogue, likely possessed and in his Dragon Force, choked him.

 It was a few moments, but suddenly everything in her calmed, although tension was still high.

_“Don’t worry Levy… I’ll be okay. ‘m not lettin’ this guy win.”_

It was like a whisper in her ear, everything calmed down. She watched him eat the shadows and suddenly she was proud and scared at the same time.

She knew how violent Gajeel could be first hand.

While the nightmares were gone when he had saved her from Laxus, she always knew how deadly Gajeel could be. She wasn’t afraid of it, not anymore. It was always just a piece of knowledge that hung around in the back of her mind.

He had the power to kill, but the restraint not to.

She always wondered why he really lost during the war between Phantom Lord.

If he wanted to… he could have killed Natsu. Natsu didn’t have it in him to kill someone, but at the time, Gajeel had.

It proved to her, he was already changing by the time Natsu and he battled.

Her eyes watched as she listened to him over the Lacrima Screen.

She was almost afraid he went back to his old way, but at the same time, she knew he wouldn’t.

She couldn’t help but find his Iron Shadow Dragon form attractive. He didn’t have the almost cross-hatching details of the scales that formed on his skin. The solid, smooth black iron and glowing blue of his eyes. It pierced her soul and sent shocks down her spine.

_“Iron Shadow Dragon…”_ Her thoughts drifted as she watched him. He’d win.

Though. She didn’t appreciate Evergreen nor Bickslow’s comments.

He wasn’t a monster… Never was. He was… a Dragon protecting his family.

Fairy Tail and her. They were his family.

She did however need to hide a small smirk when they turned into shadows. She couldn’t see which one was Gajeel, but she could feel it. Every strike and pulse of his power.

Gajeel was winning, and Rogue was running.

Only two people could keep up. Herself and Bickslow. She, however, didn’t voice it. Her eyes just trailed after Gajeel on the screen as she watched him pull Rogue out of his shadow.

His roar, it had people shocked.

“That’s your man, eh, bluebird?” Cana asked, moving to rest a hand on the blunette’s head.

“Mhm.” She smiled brightly, watching the light of the powerful dragon slaying magic light up the sky. She was far from surprised.

_Great job, Gajeel… I’m so… you’re so amazing.”_

_“Told ya, I’d be okay Short stuff.”_

She couldn’t stop the happy tears as Cana wrapped her arms around her.

“He did it.” Cana smiled.

“Of course he did.” Levy looked at her friend. “He’s a Fairy Tail Mage, Cana.”

* * *

 

Lucy was startled awake by Aquarius’ power. That woman was her first friend and her largest nightmare at the same time.

Lucy still had her keys, actually, she had all of the keys since Yukino’s passing. All thirteen keys were in her possession.

She knew that she was unable to summon any of them though, due to the fact that she was in this timeline and was unable to summon them away from her younger self.

She slowly opened the door, and soon, she was face to face with her younger self and her friends… most of which were gone.

She stood, cloaked in black and white, trying not to cry as she saw Natsu.

_“Natsu…”_

“Wha—!”

“Is that me!?”

“It’s impossible, it has to be Gemini!”

“You’ve all heard of Eclipse by now…”

“But that mean…”

“You’re from another time.” Carla was shaky as she voiced herself, but she was the only one able to say it.

“Yes… From the future.”

She paused, allowing everyone to adjust to the news.

She couldn’t stop her voice from feeling so hollow.

How disappointed would they be in her… would her past self be in her…? How disappointed would Natsu be with her?

Tears welled up in her eyes, but they wouldn’t fall.

She was so weak… she spent so much magic getting here… the first time she slept since they arrived was her short nap outside the doors, and even then her sleep was plagued with nightmares.

“I came to warn you… this kingdom is… doomed…” The room was spinning, her head felt light, and suddenly she felt the ground.

Lucy of that time watched in slight horror. Her future self was here… she looked and sounded like she was on the verge of death.

_“Is this my future…?”_ She thought, watching as Natsu lifted her up, putting the unconscious woman over his shoulder.

“This place isn’t good for Future Lucy.” Natsu tossed her a large smile.

“Alright then! Forward, March!” She laughed loudly.

She couldn’t show how scared she was, not yet.

She crouched down as everyone talked. It was Loke that spoke up to her.

“Don’t look so worried. Everything will be fine.” She couldn’t stop the soft humph that passed her lips as she looked towards him.

Then he went off about how he and her future self could share him. It made her crack a smile, but soon she gasped as her older self began waking up.

As the elder Lucy woke up, she shook her head. She had wanted to get them out of here as soon as possible.

“Luck has abandoned me…. Like it always has…”

Natsu… Levy… now her past friends and past self. She was failing everyone.

She continued to explain what happened, but then she nearly choked on air.

“Our future selves sound like total morons.” Natsu joked.

_“You’re dead Natsu… Yukino, you, Pantherlily, Carla, Happy, Mira… you’re all dead. Wendy is in some camp across the Nest… she still doesn’t know Levy is dead… unless Evergreen told her… Only Wendy and I are alive from this group.”_ Her thoughts were heavy and thick with sadness.

She also sensed a spike in familiar magic.

Gajeel was here…

* * *

 

He didn’t get closer, and he really didn’t want to. Everyone in here, he didn’t care about except Lily and Wendy.

“You’re one of us, that means we don’t have any reason to doubt you.” Natsu’s voice was painfully calm and serious.

“Ya sure about that, Salamander.” Gajeel asked.

“Gaj—wait what are you doing—!” Natsu’s head snapped towards the cloaked male.

“Gajeel…” The Lucy of his time trembled. Good.

“Go on, tell em’ everything, Heartfilia.” He couldn’t help but sneer at the girl.

“Hey metal head, be nice!” Natsu snapped at him. The scarred face and the shorter hair, it was obvious that Gajeel wasn’t the one of this time.

Future Lucy’s eyes dropped as she continued, leaving out who died… who survived. She knew it pissed Gajeel off, but she couldn’t form the words.

“Chin up. There’s no need for you to apologize…” Natsu’s smile caught his attention. The Salamander’s feelings for Lucy were as obvious as a fire in the middle of darkness.

Gajeel held a heavy, annoyed sigh. As much as he was still furious at the blonde, he’d give her a moment with Natsu. He knew just how badly she needed it… after all, he needed that same comfort from Levy.

He watched as the Fire Dragon Slayer put his hand on Future Lucy’s head and pressed his forehead to hers.

Her tears ran down her cheeks.

“I’d like to thank you… You risked your life for us, for our future.”

Gajeel had never seen Natsu so humble and adult like in all his years. Even after the Dragons attacked, when they were still in the same group, Natsu tried to bring life by acting like he always did, a hot head, but this side of Natsu… He assumed it was one reserved for Lucy.

Maybe he and the Salamander weren’t so different after all.

He watched as Lucy cried, sniffling as she looked up at Natsu.

“I had to… Natsu… I couldn’t watch you die again…” Her whisper was so soft, but everyone stilled catching the words.

Gajeel only took a moment to recover, a loud snarl passing his lips.

“You knew?” His voice was deadly calm, and suddenly, Lucy from the future realized her error. She wasn’t in the privacy of her room. Natsu wasn’t just a voice anymore… her past friends and self… and Gajeel, the Gajeel she hurt so bad, was here.

“I… I…” She was stuttering and trembling, eyes no longer on Natsu or the other, but on Gajeel who’s power was coming off him in waves of cold fury.

“What do you mean, “you knew”?” Natsu asked, moving in front of Lucy, his coal eyes leveling the crimson eyed Iron Dragon Slayer.

“You wanna tell them Heartfilia, or should I?” Gajeel snarled. It was taking every ounce of control to not run over there and snap her tiny, fucking neck.

“Tell us what, Gajeel!?” The younger Lucy snapped, not liking how Gajeel was making her future self tremble in fear.

“How she got Levy killed.”

“L-Levy’s dead?” Wendy gasped, tears flooding her eyes.

“C-come on, Gajeel. I’d never do that… she’d never do that!” The younger Lucy was trying to fight back tears.

Gajeel just glared harder at the woman cowering behind Natsu.

“Explain, Gajeel.” Natsu snapped with a low growl.

“Simple. She set us after yer damn corpse, telling us you were alive. She played on Levy’s fuckin’ emotions. And I lost my mate… my beautiful, pregnant mate… because of HER!”

Future Lucy was sobbing, trembling. “I’m Sorry!” She cried out, her head ducking down towards her lap. Tears flowing down her cheeks. “I thought… I thought…” She couldn’t breathe, her voice just kept hiccupping as she tried to catch her breath.

“Levy was pregnant with my kid. Then she came in, beggin’ me to come find you. Swearin’ you were alive. Ya grew up with Levy, you fuckin’ tell me. Would she ever turn her down?”

Natsu was silent, “She wouldn’t turn Lucy down, no. But she didn’t know Levy would die, either!” Natsu snapped at the older, larger man.

“Going outside of our fuckin’ base is practically asking for death, Natsu! We only left because if you were alive Lucy would be okay. We already lost Gray and Juvia, Levy didn’t want to risk losing Lucy either… But instead, I wasn’t strong enough to protect her when we went after you. Thinkin’ you were alive.” He clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms straining. “I watched her die, Natsu. I watched her as the light in her eyes faded. Heard her heart… and our baby’s heart stop inside her.”

Everyone was silent.

“Why aren’t you helping her stop the Dragons then?” Natsu asked.

“Because I doubt they’ll be stopped. So, I talked to Lev. I made sure she knew what to avoid in the Future.” Gajeel’s voice was cold and firm. “She also made sure I wouldn’t act without thinkin’. Fuckin’ girl always knows what to say to me.” His lips tilted upwards in a lighthearted smirk as he thought of Levy.

“Get moving and show them a way out, Heartfilia. I made a promise to Freed to make sure you fuckin’ stopped the Dragon. I ain’t breaking another promise. Not yet, at least.”

Gajeel stood tall, and despite his glare, he wasn’t going to harm Heartfilia, not yet at least.

* * *

 

Levy stood in the stands, watching Gajeel and the others stand before Sting, her lips tilting upwards into a smile. Even if Sting fought, he wouldn’t win.

Erza.

Laxus.

Juvia.

Gray.

And Gajeel…

They were all so much stronger than he was. Not just in physical strength, but emotional strength too.

Watching Sting fall to his knees, she and the others began to laugh with joy. Sting knew when he was beat, but he was humble enough to take it by realizing he needed a friend, his friend Lector.

Levy felt her heart beat faster. Her eyes looking towards the sky.

This was it. She had to tell Gajeel, and warn him before the Dragons came. She needed to be with him.

Suddenly, Fairy Tail was announced the winner and Levy was pulled into Lisanna’s arms and both females were embraced by Elfman.

It took a while, but everyone was together soon. Levy moved through the crowd of fans and her guild members to reach Gajeel. He was injured, but he would be okay.

“Gajeel…” Her voice was soft, but it caught his attention.

“Hey Shrimp, miss me?” He couldn’t stop the smile on his lips as he saw her.

Her legs moved until she was in front of him, embracing him. She was careful to not hold him too tight, not wanting to hurt him anymore than he already was. “Of course I did, stupid Gajeel.” She mumbled into his chest.

“Come on, let’s get away from here for a bit.” His voice was calm, but he was itching to get away from everyone. Too many people and it was beginning to make his temper flare up.

She nodded and took his hand, tugging him through the crowd, away from everyone for a little while.

“We need to talk anyways.” She said lightly.

He raised a brow, in his history, those words were never good.

“Bout what?” He asked, as she came to a stop, it was mostly clear, everyone who wanted to see the winners were by the rest of the group.

“Something’s going to happen tonight… and I need to tell you about it. About everything that’s happened since you and Natsu fought Sting and Rogue.” She said lightly.

He frowned, but moved to sit on a bench as she moved to sit with him.

Quietly, she began explaining what she learned. Everything about the Future Gajeel… why he was back, why he came to her, everything except about Future Lucy.

Gajeel, he held onto her tightly, trying his best to listen. His future self came to her…

Her future self died while she was with child.

That had him panicking internally. What if she was pregnant now? What if her changing things just moved up how she died.

Suddenly, Gajeel was terrified. The reality of the fact he could lose her, lose his entire world hit him.

“Never…” He growled, startling Levy slightly. Large arms, riddled with bruises and cuts, pulled Levy into his arms. “I’m never letting you go.” He whispered, his head dropping to press his forehead to hers.

Levy just smiled up at him, caressing his cheek. “I’ll never let you go either… I love you, Gajeel… you won’t lose me.” She whispered to him. Her eyes shut as she moved to press a loving kiss to his lips.

“We’ll do this… okay?”

He nodded and held her tighter. “Yeah… just, stay here.” He mumbled.

* * *

 

Gajeel watched the two toned haired Rogue speak. He was explaining about Eclipse II and how it worked… how someone stopped it.

“Well, who is this person?” Natsu shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s you…. LUCY HEARTFILIA!” Suddenly a blade of shadow shot towards the Lucy of this time.

Everyone was shocked, but Gajeel was surprised when the Lucy of his time moved in front of her younger self. 

Blood splattered across the floor, beads of the fluid crashing to the floor.

He thought he’d feel better if she was dead, but he feels worse.

_“This… this isn’t right…”_ Gajeel thought, his eyes watching as the girl he had known fall to the floor.

While the younger Lucy may have asked if she was okay, all of the Dragon Slayers knew she was dying.

“It’s comforting… you know… dying in my own arms…” Lucy mumbled. Her brown eyes looking to Gajeel.

“I’m sorry… I’ll make sure to tell Levy how much you miss her… how sorry I am… everything… I doubt she’ll for—…”

“She’ll forgive you.” Gajeel’s voice cut the dying female off. “Levy would always forgive you… and I… I’m sorry for being too much of a selfish prick to notice you missed her as much as I did… That you lost her too…” His voice was rough.

Lucy dying didn’t feel right. He spent all this time hating her, being angry, now his last connection, his last real connection to his Levy was gone. She was slowly dying in the arms of her younger self.

He was angry, at himself, at Rogue, at everyone.

Though, he wasn’t the one who was going to get at the son of a bitch. His lips upturned into a smirk as he watched Natsu attack the male.

You don’t mess with a Dragon’s chosen mate. Whether they marked her or not.

“Lucy, get out of here!” Natsu called.

Before she could protest, Loke and the others took her out.

“Hey Gajeel…” His voice was low, Natsu was still watching Rogue. “Get back to Levy, and never let her go.

“I’m never lettin’ her go again, Salamander. You can bet on that.” Gajeel couldn’t stop the cocky grin as Natsu flashed him a similar one.

“Get going!” Natsu called before returning to his fight against Rogue.

* * *

 

Gajeel rushed off towards the center of Crocus, where he knew his past self and Levy would be. The bells loudly chiming as the day turned into July 7, X791. The day the Dragons attacked.

He heard them before he saw them. The earth shook with the growls and stops of the Dragons. If his gut feeling was right, it was the Eclipse Gate that called them… it was no weapon… it was a portal.

_“I’m coming Levy. I’m coming.”_ He pushed his body to move faster.

His eyes caught sight of his past self, and Levy who was in his hold. Her eyes were of the dragons, trembling in fear.

Before he could get to her and his past self, Atlas Flame attacked with his Hell Fire, sending everything back.

“Levy!” His yell was drowned out by the screams and roar of power. He tried running faster towards Levy. He needed to catch her.

His boots slid as he moved to catch her falling body.

“Gajeel!” She gasped in surprise and relief. Her arms wrapping around him as he caught her. Though when they stopped moving she scrambled out of his grip to check on the Gajeel of this time.

He couldn’t stop the smirk when he saw her check on him. She was a very attentive woman.

His eyes narrowed as he looked towards Atlas Flame.

All three of them heard Natsu’s speech echoing through the air. And suddenly, Levy was terrified that it wouldn’t be her that died this time around.

The future Gajeel had come from was now different. Seven Dragon Slayers facing Seven Dragons.

When the dragon in the air dropped the eggs, allowing the miniature dragons out, she moved to her Gajeel, the one from this time. “Gajeel, let me help. I’ll support you.”

“No, you’ll have your hands full. Help the stragglers and watch out for the ankle biters.”

He moved to wave her off and she huffed. “No! I can’t lose you, Gajeel!” She snapped at him.

He paused to look at her, “And I’d rather die than put ya in harm’s way. Get outta here, Levy.”

“You… Stupid Gajeel!” She yelled.

It was then the future Gajeel stepped in. “Let him go. I’m staying with you… besides, if we lose you now. None of anything, none of any of this was worth it.” He said lowly.

The younger Gajeel met the gaze of his older self. A brief nod passing both men as the older one knew exactly what his younger self was thinking.

Levy shook away from the older version of her mate, running into the other’s arms and she kissed him hard. “If you die… I swear I will find a way to bring you back, then I will kill you myself. Understand.” She whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“You will never lose me, Levy…” He cupped her cheek. “I’m a Dragon Slayer, and I promise you, I’ll come back alive. I’ll come home to you.” His lips roughly met hers in a desperate kiss.

His words said one thing, but that kiss felt like he was saying goodbye.

It wasn’t long that he broke the kiss and passed her off to his elder self. “Keep her safe. I don’t give a fuck if yer me from the future.”

“Come back alive then fucker.” It was probably the only time he’d be able to talk to his younger self. It caused both males to grin before going their separate ways.

The Future Gajeel took Levy to gather civilians, while the Gajeel of that time went to face off against a Dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end everyone. Hope you've enjoyed the ride despite how short it is.


	5. Nothing is Set in Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter. Everything is coming to a close.

Gajevy

Other Pairings: NaLu

Time Variance

Chapter Five:

Nothing is Set in Stone

* * *

 

“Everyone get moving!” Levy was working with Kinana, the two girls were guiding the civilians out of the city as the Future Gajeel followed up the back to make sure the Dragon like creatures that hatched from the eggs weren’t following.

Kinana was in the front and Levy was towards the back, making sure everyone went past her to continue up the cliff side.

The blunette was found looking out over the side of the cliff every now and then. Crocus was a disaster…

“Help!” A voice cried out, yanking Levy from her thoughts, and before the future version of her mate could do anything, she was running towards the voice.

“Levy!” Gajeel snarled looking to the quiet and worried Kinana, “Make sure they keep going!” The heavily scarred, older male demanded.

Kinana nodded before her voice rang out to have people continue.

Once the elder male was sure she was doing her job, he darted off after the younger version of his Levy.

_“Don’t fuckin’ die, Levy. Don’t you fuckin’ dare!”_ His thoughts were panicked as he went after the blunette.

The small solid script mage was holding a young boy behind her. The boy wasn’t all that much smaller than her, but he was obviously much younger. A wall of stone between her and the dragon hatchlings that followed the crowd of people.

It was in that brief moment, everything was in beats.

His heart pounding in his ears, silencing every noise as he felt his own existence thin.

A memory of his body being slammed into by a massive claw, much in the way his Levy had died. The pain he felt, and his last breath.

The irony was the only thing on his mind.

Yet as he stood fading, he watched in horror as Levy looked away from the battle, feeling the loss of her Gajeel, his past self. The magic the male had pushed into her body, binding their magics in the most intimate of ceremonies, was gone.

“No…”

He wanted to scream, but nothing came out.

Her script had broken, shattering into pieces as another shot ripped through the rubble of her stone spell and ripped through her chest.

“Gaj—!” Her cry was silenced as blood bubbled up and her body began falling, the child unable to hold up her weight.

Then… everything stopped.

Honey eyes looking up, frozen. Her body half fallen, in mid-air.

Gajeel assumed he could stop and see this because he was between existences at the moment.

It was old magic… possibly older than Dragon Slaying magic. His memories once more changing, as a sense of deja vu hit him.

Time was moving back. Not much, possibly a minute, maybe less. But it was all he needed.

When time set back and Levy was standing behind a crumbling wall, getting ready to cast another spell, he dove forward.

His past self having used the moment to save himself from the dragon’s claw, and he dove in front of Levy, taking the shot that pierced the rubble.

* * *

 

“GAJEEL!”

The scream echoed in the city for anyone with sensitive hearing.

All of the Dragon Slayers heard it, yet only a few understood it.

“Levy…” The Gajeel of that time heard her scream, and as much as he wanted to run to her… he couldn’t, the dragons weren’t dead and the hatchlings were still a problem.

“No…” He could hear the vague whisper of Wendy from where she was at, no doubt she and Laxus heard Levy’s scream as well.

“You BASTARD!!” Natsu’s scream was louder than Levy’s had, making the Iron Dragon Slayer smirk a bit. He and Natsu may not get along and may pick on each other, but they were family. And family fucking protected each other.

He just… he hoped that his future self didn’t die in vain right now. They needed to defeat the Dragons and the future Rogue.

“Just go!” Levy was in tears as she told the child to run. “Solid Script: Storm!” The spell turned into a cloud of lightning and rain. The lightning striking over and over, killing some of the hatchlings as she was crouched down, holding onto Gajeel.

“G-go.” He coughed. The shot did more damage to him then he’d though. He was always willing to die for her, yet that shot from the hatchling ripped a hole in his abdomen.

No doubt ripped a hole in his stomach or liver, all he fucking knew was that it was unbelievably painful.

“Don’t talk…” She shushed him quietly. “I’m not leaving you. I’m never leaving you.” She whispered. Despite speaking to him, her eyes were focused on the battle. She was being so strong, but emotionally and magically. Her magic was being fueled by her anger, but also because of the power boost her binding with Gajeel had done.

“Lev, this… thi-s… a-ain’t goin’ ‘way.” This time he was coughing harder, blood bubbling past his lips.

He hoped to whatever god there was, this wasn’t the pain Levy had to go through when she had been impaled by the rebar, or when she had died.

“I said don’t talk!” She snapped, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes catching his for a brief moment, and he recognized the look.

The same one he no doubt gave his Levy, this Levy’s future self, when she was dying. The… pain and fear. The unwillingness to let go. 

“No… y-ya need... to go… th-is… ‘ll be …worthless, if ya…don’t go…”

“I… I can’t.” She whispered, her most recent spell would hold up for a little while. “Please don’t make me leave you, Gajeel… I can’t lose you.” She whispered and pulled him tighter to her.

“’m not goin’ anywhere…. Yer… yer me… is there.” A brief glance over the cliff side as Levy tried to clean up the blood that was staining his face. The foamy mixture of saliva and blood at his lips. He could feel her hand desperately moving to press against the wound to stop the bleeding.

It wasn’t going to happen. He was going to bleed out, and slowly.

“Go.” He whispered. “’ll be okay.”

“Liar.” Her sob was muffled as she leaned down, wiping his lips once more before kissing him. “I love you…” She whispered. “I promise… none of this will happen in our future… You’ll be happy.”

“…’m happy… havin’ you again… yer worth dyin’ for… now go.” His large hand felt heavy, but it pushed at her, forcing her away.

Levy didn’t want to leave…. She didn’t… but… as much as she hated to admit it right now, she needed to leave.

“I’m sorry…” Her words choked up as she started running.

A pained smiled graced his face as he closed his eyes. _“You have no reason to be sorry. If my last moment is protecting you, it is worth it… especially if I got to spend another moment in your arms. I just wish I didn’t make you cry…”_

He heard the sound of the spell Levy cast breaking. Soon his thoughts stopped as did the pain. The one good thing from the hatchlings was that they didn’t know when to stop.

Levy tearfully ushered people up the mountain, yet it was Kinana that caught her attention. The violet haired girl was looking out with an odd expression.

“Levy—.”

“Go… Stay safe okay? Just, get to whomever it is you need to get to Kinana. We need… we need to be with our loved ones.” The blunette offered a pained smile as Kinana hugged her tightly before running off to her own small journey.

The blunette was setting rune traps and solid script spells up the mountainside, something to keep the hatchlings away.

Yet, it wasn’t much longer before the ground shook with a dragon falling from the sky. The Hatchlings that were breaking through her runes and solid script spells were suddenly still and they began vanishing. Disappearing into thin air.

* * *

 

_“They’re gone…”_ Levy took a breath in relief before she fell to her knees trembling before grief set in. A sob escaping her as she thought back to Gajeel, the one from the future. She was terrified to go down the mountain. She was terrified to see what those things had done to him…

“Levy!” It wasn’t Gajeel, but Lily. The small formed Exceed was rushing towards her. He saw the upset blunette and before he could say anything, when he got close enough she pulled him into her embrace, sobbing.

Lily got the gist of everything that happened, having seen the future Gajeel and seeing her crying… hearing her scream earlier. He knew what happened.

The blunette buried her face in his fur and he felt lost. He understood that she lost the future Gajeel, and it still hurt. He didn’t understand the loss because he didn’t see it… see what happened. Although he felt pain, knowing his partner from an alternate future had died, he didn’t feel it to the extent the girl was feeling.

“It’ll be okay, Levy.” His voice was soft, fatherly. Pantherlily had his experience with crying girls from when he raised Coco.

With a slight pull, he pulled out of her embrace, times like this… where they were safe, it was okay to waste his magic on his battle form outside of a battle. The massive, panther like exceed, wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry.

“He died saving me…”

“Then he did what he originally wished he could do.” Lily smoothed down her hair. “We know that time isn’t set in stone, Levy. His future… your and Gajeel’s future. It isn’t set in stone. The Dragons… they’re gone. That means the future he was from… it isn’t like that anymore.”

Levy nodded slowly, “But…will he still be dead…?”

“I… don’t know. But I doubt it.” He spoke, moving to lift her up. He knew her magic was low because of her emotional turmoil. “I think, because of this, it means he never came back. He may still have the memories because he crossed time, but maybe because he never needed to come back to begin with, he never dies.”

He felt Levy nod as his wings lifted them to the air, flying her back to everyone. Jet, Droy, and Gajeel were likely worried about her. He noticed the civilians cheering, they’d follow once they were ready.

* * *

 

Gajeel was looking around, he came upon the others. Jet and Droy were exhausted and scrapped up. Juvia and Lyon were clinging to Gray like their life depended on it. Romeo was clinging to Macao, the young teen crying into his father’s embrace.

Everyone seemed to be reunited except…

“Gajeel!”

He hadn’t even had time to turn around before Levy was throwing herself into his embrace, the battle formed Lily just smirking over at the couple.

“Get over ‘ere cat!” Gajeel said, earning a smile from the Exceed.

With a quick poof, the exceed was buried into the embrace between Levy and Gajeel. This was his family, and Gajeel was never letting them out of his sight again.

Gajeel buried his nose in Levy’s hair, “Heard yer scream.” He muttered, feeling Levy hold onto his bandaged chest tighter. “Yer okay…” He whispered.

“He died… You...him… I couldn’t do anything…” Her whispers were muffled by his chest. “He took the shot for me… I couldn’t stop the bleeding…” She choked out.

Both Lily and Gajeel knew she’d have nightmares about it for a long time. The pain and dangers of war caused nightmares in the strong and weak. But watching a loved one bleed out, knowing you couldn’t do anything, it was survivors guilt.

“Hey, my future is safe cause you, Lev. That won’t happen because of ya. I have a future cause you.” He tilted her head up, moving to meet her tear-filled gaze.

Gajeel moved to press his lips to her forehead, stroking her back with his right hand. “Yer safe… to me, that’s what matters.” He paused, “Besides, knowing all of this… you won’t let me die.” His grin is cocky and it earns a slightly enraged smack from the small blunette.

He laughed and hissed in pain, the smack from the girl was worth it. “Ya, I deserved that.” He chuckled and moved to kiss her. “Come on, let’s go find everyone else. I think we all deserve a break… after we help fix this shit I guess.”

Levy just smiled and moved to cradle Lily in her arms. “Thank you.” She muttered to the Exceed, kissing his head as she moved.

Lily just smiled and moved to snuggle into her embrace, enjoying the warmth the female was giving.

Sometimes he liked being spoiled like this.

Gajeel, Levy, and Lily joined the rest of the bruised and battered mages, some of the knights mentioned a male disappearing into thin air that they had been trying to get a proper grave.

Gajeel nor Lily mentioned it to Levy, knowing the girl didn’t need to hear the reminder.

When the ball was mentioned, Gajeel grimaced, he didn’t overly enjoy dancing, but seeing Levy brighten up a bit at the idea of a dance, he could withstand it… at least for a bit.

Everyone went to help rebuild before a long rest, Gajeel ignored the looks from Natsu, Laxus, the shy smile from Wendy, and the cat-like grin from Cana, as he went to take Levy to her room.

Levy was exhausted and it was visible as she moved into the room. “Nope, not yet.” He scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bathroom, a slight frown on his lips. He didn’t like seeing her so tired.

“Where’s Lily?” She yawned, watching as he moved to run a bath. Her eyes blinking sleepily.

“My room. He’s tired too, and wanted us to have time to each other.” He commented, letting the bath fill before he turned to carefully undo the dirtied bow on her dress to help her out of it.

She was far too spent to even be embarrassed by it. Letting him strip her dirty, torn dress off her body.

Gajeel was gentle with her body, helping her step out of her clothes as stripped her off her underclothes and shoes.

Levy tilted her head, looking up to meet his gaze as she noticed he was beginning to tug his bandages off. Realization finally hitting her, making her cheeks turn rosy.

She couldn’t help but appreciate that his battle wounds from the fight with the Dragons and with Rogue were rapidly healing, the same way wounds did with Natsu.

Gajeel chuckled, “Nothin’ you ain’t seen before, Shorty.”

Levy just puffed up her cheeks as she was tugged to his body. “Don’t be upset. We’re both too tired for that, maybe tomorrow.” He chuckled and moved to help her into the water once he was completely bare.

She fit comfortably against him once they were sitting down. Her eyes closing, as she snuggled back into him and the hot water soothed her aching limbs.

“Just relax and stop thinkin’.” He commented lightly, his arms draped around her, holding her to him.

She did just that, and dozed off in his embrace. Knowing she’d be safe from drowning so long as he was there.

Gajeel had carefully washed her, dried her off, and put her to bed in some pajamas before joining her. He wasn’t ready to let her go for the night.

* * *

 

It was the morning when Levy awoke, her eyes blinking sleepily as she noticed she was in bed. Gajeel was nowhere in sight, but there was a messily written note on the nightstand.

“Gone to get ready with Lily. See you at the Castle—Gajeel”

It made her smile lightly, yet her thoughts were still clouded. Everyone from the games would be there, thus it would be heavily noticed if she skipped out.

Her heart still hurt, but Lily’s words helped ease some of that pain. Gajeel… his future was changing, he even told her that himself. She was changing things for him… and without the Dragons, they, hopefully, changed for the better.

She had packed a couple dressed, hoping to catch a party or event during the grand magic games, or at least after it. Sadly, the Dragons attacking kept the festival from happening, but this banquet at the Palace would make up for it.

She put on an orange dress, the two-tone dress fitting nicely as she moved to slip on her small heels. A sigh passed her lips.

She just needed to take this a day at a time, right now her future was looking bright. A small smile gracing her lips as she moved to join the other women, especially once she heard Cana call out her name loudly.

She could do this.

Pausing before she hit the door, she grabbed a purse and stuffed her journal inside.

Okay, now she could do this!

Cana, Mirajane, Lucy, and the others were waiting to go, a carriage would be taking them to the castle.

* * *

 

Once at the castle, everyone began doing their own thing. Levy went to disappear into the silence and beauty of the castle while others went to mingle, drink, and eat.

She just wanted a moment to write down everything she learned about the other Gajeel… in case she ever forgot because of all the time manipulation the Eclipse gate did.

She sat down by a window and just wrote… until Gajeel found her.

“So, this is where ya are.”

“Mhm.” She hummed, turning around after closing her journal, a smile on her lips. “Just… writing everything down.”

“About?”

“Everything… The games, the dragons… our future selves. I… I don’t want to forget in case magic ever backlashes at the use of time magic.” She explained softly.

“Ya shouldn’t care. That future is gone.”

Levy smiled, tears in her eyes as the though. “No. Not completely. No, it’ll never happen. But…he said it took me nearly dying for either of us to confess to the other.” She said lightly. “I was scared… you know. Taking a Dragon on, all by yourself is a dangerous thing…”

“You shouldn’t worry about me.” His head turned away, unable to stop the words. He wasn’t used to this. Having a relationship, being cared about. It was all new… even if he had his loving moments.

Her lips downturned and her eyes narrowed a bit. “Let me worry about you, just a little bit.” Her voice pleaded softly.

“That kind of stuff annoys me.” The words were sharp, yet they made Levy smile as she started crying. This was her Gajeel, and she loved him for it. The other Gajeel had been so kind and fearful that she disappeared that he hadn’t felt completely like him. Yet she loved both versions nonetheless.

“W-what the hell are your crying for!?” He didn’t know what he did. Fuck, he was messing this all up.

Levy just shook her head, “I’m not really sure why… Sorry.”

“You don’t gotta apologize…” His words softened, moving to brush his hand over her cheek, wiping the tears away.

“’m bein’ stupid again. Sometimes it’s hard to believe, yer mine. That I’m yers.” He spoke gently, his words were careful, full of hesitation.

“Its new for both of us… but we’ll figure it out.” She moved her hand over his hand and smiled.

“Yeah… we will.” He smiled and moved to brush his lips against hers. “I’m… not ready for everyone to know, is that okay?” He muttered after kissing her.

“We can take our time telling everyone… But I do know some people know already…”

“Yeah… Salamander, the kid, Sparty and the other Dragon Slayers know…” His voice trailed off.

“Cana too… she saw me run off to your room…” Her cheeks flushed lightly.

“I can work with that.” He smirked slightly, moving to take her hand and pull her up. “I may hate dancin’… but it’s traditional, right? For a new couple… mated… married… whatever, to dance.”

Levy smiled, “Yeah… but since when does anyone in Fairy Tail follow rules?” She teased.

“I think I can be good… just this once.”

The Dragon Slayer took his new mate out to the party, getting looks from the other Dragon Slayers and Cana, but no one said anything, just offered a sly or shy smile.

* * *

 

Gajeel awoke with a gasp, he was no longer on the cold ground feeling his blood choking him.

“Where am…”

“Gajeel!” It was Lily… but he was.

“I swear to Mavis Gajeel Redfox, if you don’t get back here I’m going to—!”

He was up faster than ever before, rushing off to a nearly livid Levy. The blunette had her cheeks puffed out in an annoyed pout, her hand resting on her swollen stomach. His arms moving to wrap around her and pulling her into a carefully tight embrace.

“Jerk. You just vanished on me… I got worried.” Her voice no longer holding the anger as she felt him hug her. “Me and the babies were worried. Natsu said Lucy was acting weird too.”

The Iron Dragon Slayer smiled into Levy’s hair. “’m fine, Lev. Just… Realizing what I have.”

He owed Lucy an apology… several actually. But tomorrow… his wife… his mate… she was alive, heavily swollen in her pregnancy…wait… babies?

“Babies?” His voice went up a pitch at the question.

Lily was laughing loudly. “Don’t tell me you forgot?” Levy sighed heavily leaning onto him. “Porlyusica confirmed it for us, as did Wendy. Babies. Twins, remember? Does any of this ring a bell?” The bluentte turned to the laughing exceed. “Maybe we should call Wendy and see if she’d be willing to check if he hit his head or something?”

“I think he’s okay.” Lily chuckled as Levy flushed when Gajeel began nuzzling her stomach after the large male dropped to his knees.

“G-gajeel… You’re being so affectionate today…”

“Gajeel, while this is great and all… you should take your **_nine-month pregnant_** wife and put her back to bed like every single medic and doctor has told her.” Lily dragged out.

Levy shot a glare at Lily. “Traitor!” She hissed. She was enjoying the small amount of freedom out of bed.

“Hey, I only let you out so we could find him without you getting too worried. Your end of the deal miss Mama to be. I’ll call and sick Mirajane on you.”

Gajeel didn’t really care about the argument she and Lily were having as he lifted her into his arms, cradling her to his chest. Levy’s cheeks were puffed out in annoyance and defeat, shooting Lily a glare and sticking her tongue out, but she did nothing else.

“I’m sorry I worried ya, Lev. But, it’s time to get back to bed.” He nuzzled her, making the blunette coo out happily.

“Mm… fine… Only if you stay in bed with me.”

“I’m never leavin’ yer side again, Lev.”

Levy arched a brow. “We’ll see if you keep saying that when the twins are born.” She laughed lightly before snuggling into his embrace.

During the years after the Grand Magic Games, the time magic had eventually their memories of Gajeel, Lucy, and Rogue coming to the past faded away mostly. While the memories of the dragons had stayed firm. Levy still had the memories written down, and she had a feeling that was what was wrong with Gajeel… but they were happy, and Lily was right all of those years ago.

“I guess our futures aren’t always set in stone.” She hummed as Gajeel moved to lay her down.

Lily’s ears caught the words and he smiled, moving to bring in some herbal tea for the pregnant woman. “I told you.” He remembered it quite well himself, which was one of the reasons he wasn’t against her coming with.

“Our secret, right?” Levy whispered as Gajeel went to go grab some extra pillows as his memories of this life time flooded his mind.

“Yep.” The exceed winked and moved to join in the bed.

Gajeel smirked as he noticed Levy getting comfortable with the small formed exceed by the time he joined in the bed, tucking an extra pillow under Levy.

“I love you, Gajeel.” Levy mumbled, the warm confines of her bed with her boys made her sleepy.

“Love you too, Levy. Thank you for always being there for me.” He whispered and moved to kiss her softly.

His memory of every event after the Grand Magic Games came flooding to him. Tartarus, Igneel and the others returning, his job at the Magic Council, everything… It took him a while to get to this point, but he was happy and he wasn’t going to lose her.

He’d never forget how he got here… where he was originally from, because it let him get to where he was now.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end, thank you for sticking around!

**Author's Note:**

> Word Count: 7,004  
> Chapter 2 will be up as soon as I can. I will be coming out with another story soon. Faeries, so keep a look out. Summary is on my Tumblr.


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